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Tip: Productivity tool 3.0 – By Breaana Bayraktar

I have put together a few lists of productivity tools that I use regularly (here is Tools 1.0 And 2.0) for my apprenticeship, my scholarship and my service work. This list is a second update with many changes since version 2.0 in 2021!

Image of a computer with phone and Apple from Pexels out of Pixabay
Collaborative writing/memory applications

Although I'm on a Microsoft campus, I'm still using Google Drive For some of my collaboration. I often have the feeling that Microsoft products may get 85% of the way for a good experience, and then they become too short. This definitely applies to SharePoint. At that time I will probably do 60% of my work in Microsoft and 40% in Google, and I don't really see that. Even if I work alone, I can go back and forth: the word is far superior to use styles to insert and format quotes (with my zotero add-on), but it is faster in Google Docs. When I have to create Documents/foils that I use while teaching It is 100%Google for the collaboration of the students. I still use Dropbox (but not Dropbox paper) For keeping my personal files, but I find it incredibly frustrating that it is not well integrated into the file children in Mac as well as it was done on my Windows computer.

If you use the new search function on the Tips Homepage, you can search for all articles to use Google Suite – there were many!

Communication instruments

The last time I called Slack and teams as collaboration rooms that I used sparingly and that I didn't loved – well, I'm now in a team on teams, and although I may not be Love Teams, I am now a much bigger fan. I very much appreciate having a non-e-mail room for an asynchronous cooperation, especially if only file sharing (Google Drive) does not meet all of our requirements.

E -mail management services

This is probably the biggest change that I have made -my E -Mail program. There are some reasons for the change, including increased buggy ness in later versions of MailbirdBut the nail was in the coffin when I switched from a Windows laptop to a Mac. Mailbird's Mac version has almost none of the functions I really loved, and that's why I reluctantly said goodbye.

So where did I land? I still hate view, that was just just NO. I still had to be able to manage several accounts from one place from one place. My only new requirement was keyboard links – I got used to using the links within Mailbird, and wanted a program where I could use custom links for the things I really wanted to do. I used Apple Mail for a while and liked the portability in laptop, iPad and telephone, but the keyboard links simply did not allow me what I really wanted (admittedly, this could be very good user errors). And – ideally – whatever I selected, would have a desktop and a telephone/iPad app. I tried SparkmailAnd now I'm with me Edison Mail. I like it well – I usually want to be able to archive and mark e -mails for later and quickly (therefore keyboard links must be required). I miss it with Mailbird a storage space “all inboxes” that could only be the e -mail accounts that I outweigh -and leave without this function.

Notes applications

The last time I announced my favorite productivity tools, my advice was:

Select a tool that does what you need, without too many frills. There is a time for beautiful documents and there is a time for simple text. If the unusual options for organizing and formatting are more a distraction than an improvement, it may be time to find a simpler option.

I think that still applies – the best tool is easy to use and quickly at hand. On my laptop, I started making short-term notes in Apple's notes app, as it can be opened quickly when I am in a meeting and determine that I have to take some notes. I use my iPad for most work on the work (personal observations, observations, workshops/conferences) and tried a number of comments that have recorded apps (notability, onenote, Evernote) Nebo. I selected this 3-4 years ago because it was by far the best to convert manuscript in tipped text. I suspect that others may catch up, but I love Nebo's user -friendliness and functions – they have an excellent balance between not too little, not too much. (Here is a Nice overview article If you want to learn more about options for notes.)

Research and reference management

Although I still like it very much PowernotesI use it less now and rely on it Zotero More – more – more – because my needs have shifted than anything else, since the two tools do really different things.

As a memory, Powernotes works in your browser so that you can highlight clips of what you read, and save the clip with the citation information and annotation. I think it's an excellent tool for students and I still recommend it.

Planning services

Nothing new here is, although I have experimented with MS bookings and it is it fine – but not great and not Good enough So that I can change the free version of Kalendly!

Calendar Is still the winner here. I wish you had a cheaper, paid version – the jump from $ 8.00 per month is too much, so I stay with the (somewhat limited) free version.

Screencasting applications

I also use this extensively in a “normal” semester. My 100 %attempt was earlier Screenpal (War Screencast-O-Matic) and often Only audio recordings – Now I use zoom for all my recording needs.

Tasks manager

After using a Mac, I tested different to-lists. This is my fight for several years, and I'm still not sure if I have that Absolutely best Solution. I had used Tooist Since it was nicely integrated in Mailbird – I learned that I do not use it if the task list is not before my eyes. Now I use widgets on my screen to keep this task list up to date, and that's really the only reason why I left todoist Timtick. Again it is fine. It floats on my second monitor screen and I use it to enter and skim daily/weekly tasks, and that's all I need from a to-do list.

As a lifelong Windows user, the change to a Mac is at My age was the shift. Some things work great, some things are okay and others … I have the feeling that I don't know that I would be helpful! So, Mac users, with all their best advice on everything a newcomer should learn!

There is my list of tech tools that I find helpful -I would like to hear about others that I have not tried or to have low -tech solutions for the administration of the Professor workflow! I am particularly interested in hearing from and I would totally acknowledge if I didn't insert a plug for a plug

's great newsletter, – Recommend it to check it for so many great contributions to tools.

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