Taking Up The Slack

Hello there.

I’m Julian and I'm really pleased that you've chosen to download and listen to this episode.  I really appreciate you taking the time to listen to little 'ol me! 

If you're new here, then welcome to the Productivity Matters podcast.

On this episode, I’m going to take a look at Slack - a communication tool.  As you may know from previous episodes, I love using automation to make things as efficient as possible, and the use of Slack, and the integrations it provides is just one more way to help.

Don’t go away.  Just going to do this….

Communication in business, in fact in any walk of life, is key to understanding.  Whether that’s understanding a business message, or receiving the latest company information, or just discussing what’s happening from a social point of view; it’s clear we need to be consistent and communicate often.

In our personal space, we have access to the likes of WhatsApp, Messenger, iMessage, Snapchat and good old fashioned text messages.  We also have the ability to message in apps such as Instagram and Facebook.  It’s interesting that the biggest messaging apps are all owned by one company - with WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger all part of Facebook!!

In the business world, the primary place for communication is LinkedIn - a site that has given me access to various different roles over the years.

However, when it comes to communicating internally; between you and your colleagues, then there is a very different set of tools available.

First off, there’s the various web chat services, such as Webex, GoToMeeting, Skype or Zoom.  These are ideal for multi-site meetings, to discuss and share screens to keep conversations flowing.

Then there’s the in-house chat; HipChat springs to mind (for JIRA users, this integrates very nicely for a joined up collaboration), there’s Yammer and there’s also Slack.

I’ve had previous experience of HipChat, having used it quite heavily with one client, and also GoToMeeting and Webex.  However, I have recently been introduced to Slack, within the last year, and I must admit to liking the way it works.

Whilst I use Slack supplied by my clients, I have also set up one for Productivity Matters.  Now, this is just for me; there are no colleagues to interact with, but this has become a great way for me to keep up with certain information, as I’ll explain in a moment.

Slack is a cross-platform application; available on Mac, Windows, Linux, web, Android, iOS and Windows mobile.  It’s a real-time, cloud based tool - so you will need an internet connection regardless of the app you use.

Slack works using Channels - which are like areas for a specific subject.  They act as a stream for information in that area.   It’s important to be selective about the channels you join, otherwise you’ll be bogged down in messages you don’t really need to see.

You can set notifications, do not disturb and even statuses, so your colleagues can see if you’re available or not.  You can also use keywords as a way to set alerts; so whenever that word is used, you’ll be notified.

Now, Slack is free to download and use, with as many members as you need; but there are restrictions on the file storage, of just 5GB, and audio / video calls can only be made between two people not groups.  Also, only the last 10,000 messages are included in the search functionality.  Free accounts can also only be integrated with up to 10 third party apps.

Apart from the normal person-to-person chat; with which you can include links, documents and much more, one of the huge benefits are the apps that you can integrate.

I just love the various ways you can do things, automatically, using different apps; and I’m going to talk through how I use some of them now.

First of all; Zapier.  This is a great integration tool, that can trigger events based on outcomes, and then send the output as a message.  I have a number of Google Forms that I’m using for the Cub Scout group I run.  These forms are for capturing information relevant for our upcoming camp.

When a form is completed by the parent, a Google Sheet is automatically updated.  Using Zapier, I can look for a new line in the Sheet and then send a message to a channel in my Slack account.  Within the Zap, I have included the Cub name and parent name; along with any specific response, in a preset message.  This means that I can see who has responded, and any pertinent information immediately, without having to continually check the Google Sheet.

How about this one; also using Zapier (in fact most of my integrations use Zapier).  When I add a file to Google Drive, I have a Zap that will move it to a specific folder - this saves me having to navigate to the folder at the time of uploading it.  Once the file move is complete, then I receive a message in Slack confirming the move has taken place.

Both of these take the form of ‘bots’ - automated messages in Slack.  I created my own Slack account specifically for this purpose and it’s working really well.  It saves me having to check all the different places.

Of course, there’s much more available, such as receiving news items from RSS feeds directly into Slack.  This can get a bit onerous and after a while I removed these.  I just felt they were creating more noise, than actually being of benefit.

Other integrations, that are available directly with Slack, are Giphy, to send some visual effect to your messages.  You can add a poll; so you can ask your users to vote on a subject.  There are also integrations with calendars, such as Google and Outlook.

There are tons of integrations available, and with Zapier, this runs to many, many more.  In fact, you can also integrate with IFTTT.  I’ve set one up with Tado, the smart heating system.  When the temperature drops below, or rises above, a temperature, I will receive a message in Slack.  Why?  Who knows! It does mean I can check if the heating is on, or not, and take action remotely (or even if I’m at home).

I’ve often extolled the virtues of ToDoIst, as my to-do list application; and Slack has integrations with that too.  It’s more useful when there are other people involved, but it’s a good one to have.

It’s even possible to set reminders, that pop-up at the requisite time.  It’s all about having the right tool in the right place to get the job done.

If you haven’t used Slack before, and want to see what the fuss is about, then I’ve added the link in the show notes.

Now, as previously mentioned, Slack is free to download and use, with as many members as you need; but there are restrictions on the file storage, of just 5GB, and audio / video calls can only be made between two people not groups. 

For up to 10GB of storage and the ability to do video / audio calls between groups, then you’ll need Slack Standard; which currently costs £63 per person per year (or £6.30 per month, if you just pay monthly).

I hope you’ve found this episode interesting.

If you have any questions about Slack or anything else, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

Don’t forget to follow me where you normally listen to your podcasts.

Thank you very much for listening and until next time, remember, Productivity Matters.

Equipment I use to make my podcasts:

Blue Yeti Microphone - https://amzn.to/2R2am1N
Pop Filter - https://amzn.to/2OVMbQP
Professional Microphone Boom Arm - https://amzn.to/2P4EIio

Please help to support this podcast - click here to make a donation which will help me to keep creating great content.It's very much appreciated.  Thank you.

If you purchase from these links then I may receive a commission.  This does not affect the price you will pay.  Thank you.

Pocket Casts

Introduction

Hi all, it's Julian here again, and welcome to another episode from Productivity Matters.   If you're new here, then welcome.  If you're a regular listener, welcome back.

In this series I've been looking at apps that are designed to help you be more productive; to get things done as efficiently as possible.

I'm not sure that listening to podcasts actually counts as being productive.  I mean, listening to the radio or music isn't actually productive, although it can lead to being more productive.  Podcasts, on the other hand, are less about the music and more about the information.

There are many apps out there to consume podcasts, and today I'm going to take a look at one in particular. Pocket Casts has been around a while, available on iOS and Android (and a web player too) and they have now released version 7.  I couldn't let the opportunity slip by to take a closer look.

So - buckle up, here we go.

What is a Podcast?

This might seem like a strange way to start this episode, but let's look at what a podcast actually is?

It's strange, because that's how you are here right now.  Listening to this podcast.  

The straight definition is "A digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically."

Podcasting has become very popular in recent years, allowing many people to get involved - including yours truly!

It's a mechanism for anyone to speak their mind, investigate issues, tell stories and more, using the audio medium.   The way to access these podcasts is usually via a podcast app; of which there are many.  Some are basic and some offer a wealth of functionality.

One such app is Pocket Casts; it's been my app for listening to podcasts for the last few years, and it's brilliant.

Pocket Casts

Over the years, they have made changes and updates to improve the experience, but today they launched version 7 - and it's beautiful.

I use the iOS version, although it's also available on Android and the web, and there's a  Windows and Mac version too.

The look and feel is fresh, with icons along the bottom of the screen leading you to what you want to do.  Starting with the Podcast icon, which takes you to a list (or grid) of the podcasts you've subscribed to.  Next, the filters.

You can create quick filters, similar to channels - call them what you like, literally; and then add podcasts to them so you can get to them easily.  This is helpful if you have bucket loads of podcasts.

The Discover section leads with the Featured podcasts, then a selection of Trending.  Scroll down to find other sections that will highlight podcasts you might be interested in.  Alternatively, towards the bottom of the list, you can search by networks, or categories.

The search bar at the top of the page will allow you to enter the name for finding a specific podcast quickly.

The final icon is Profile.  This will tell you how many podcasts you've subscribed to, and then how many days you've listened for.  Depending on your settings; which I'll talk about soon, it will also tell you how much time you've saved.

Further down the Profile page is a link to all your stats, downloaded podcasts, those you have starred and finally, your listening history.  This is new and it's great to be able to find a previous episode of a series.

Right at the top of the screen, on your Profile, is the Settings icon.  In here, you have completely granular control over each part of the app.

Playback gives you control over how far you want to skip forward or back, in seconds.  You can set the screen to say awake and more.

The Notifications section sets the global setting for getting notified of new episodes; you can then set each podcast individually.  The App badge allows you a number of options for being off; showing the total unplayed, new releases, or a specific filter count.

Under Appearance, you can set to dark mode (or extra dark!) and also the colour of the app icon that appears on your home screen.

Storage and Data use is as the name suggests, and you can set it to warn you before downloading over mobile data.

Finished a podcast?  Then auto-archive an episode.  You can set this to happen after a set period.

Auto download - one of my favourite settings. Set to download only when connected to Wifi, only specific podcasts and more.

There are now even Siri shortcuts to make accessing and playback easier, using your voice.

Things get really interesting when you look at the settings for each individual podcast.  Just open up the podcast and click on the settings icon.

You can set the auto-download and whether you want to be notified when a new episode is available.  You can automatically add the new episode to your playlist, so it will appear in the ‘Up Next’ section of the app; and you can decide if you want it to appear at the top or the bottom of that section.

For example, you may have some news podcasts, which are time-sensitive, due to the very nature of the content, so you want to prioritise them over an entertainment podcast, which you could listen to at any time.

When you select the Playback Effects, you can set the speed for the playback; which is useful for speech only podcasts; and you can trim the silence - this means that pauses are skipped, to let you listen more quickly.

Remember I mentioned the statistics about time saved?  This is where the figure about how much time you’ve saved comes in.  On my app, it tells me I’ve saved over 20 hours through skipping pauses.

The final setting is called ’Skip First..’ and it means you can set the episode to start a pre-determined number of seconds from the beginning.  This is useful if you know there will be a ’sponsored’ section, and want to skip it to get to the content.

New in Version 7, you can now listen to the episode without subscribing first.  This is something that used to annoy me a little - having to subscribe to a podcast before knowing whether I want to commit.  So now I can try it beforehand.

The ‘up next’ syncing is great to set it all up once, and then listen on your PC or tablet.

There are new archiving features, enhanced Apple Watch support, and you can also view your listening history.

Thank You

So, there you have it.  A completely fully-featured podcast app, that gives you full control over how you want to listen. It’s completely free to download and use on your mobile device.  If you want to listen via the web, then there is a one-off cost of £8.40.

Does listening to podcasts make me more productive?  Not really; but Pocket Casts makes it a breeze to download and manage the podcasts I like to listen to.

If you have any questions about Pocket Casts, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

Don’t forget to subscribe where you normally listen to your podcasts and until next time, remember, Productivity Matters.

Equipment I use to make my podcasts:
Blue Yeti Microphone - https://amzn.to/2R2am1N
Pop Filter - https://amzn.to/2OVMbQP
Professional Microphone Boom Arm - https://amzn.to/2P4EIio

If you purchase from these links then I may receive a commission.  This does not affect the price you will pay.  Thank you.