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.

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The End Of The Series

Hi everyone.  Welcome to another episode from Productivity Matters.

In fact, this is the last in the current series; but don’t worry, I’ll be back in the new year. 

I've had a lot of fun making these, so in the great tradition of end of year shows; I thought I'd take look back at what I've talked about over the last 18 weeks.

What is productivity

If we're to understand how the tools and methods can help us, then we need to get to the heart of productivity, and what it actually is?

Productivity means different things to each of us; but one thing I think we can all agree on is that it’s the means to getting things done in the most efficient manner. 

It may be that the easiest way to do this is using good old-fashioned pen and paper.

The tech world has been overtaken with all sorts of apps to help us do something better. 

ToDoIst

Task managers are designed to help you make sure you've done what needs to be done.  Tasks are either one-off single jobs that need completing, or they are a bigger project broken down into more manageable chunks.

The market is a flood with task manager apps; GoodTasks, Things3, Wunderlist, and even Google have one called Keep.

I use ToDoIst for my task management; and the main reason I chose this is ease of use and the integrations into the other tools I already use.

One of the strengths of ToDoIst is the ability to use natural language to set dates and times, for reminders. It's simple to type 'Call Mum every Wednesday at 6pm'

ToDoIst will automatically create a recurring task, that appears each Wednesday. On the paid-for service, you can also set a reminder for 10 mins before (or whatever time you decide), to pop-up on your mobile phone, or desktop, so you'll never forget again.

On the paid for version you get extra functionality, including:

• Task Labels & Reminders - adding more control to the way you can filter and be reminded of tasks
• Add tasks via email - This is a good one. Simply forward emails direct to ToDoIst; either to the default Inbox, or straight into a project. A real time-saver
• Task comments & file uploads - Add extra comments to your tasks, and upload files to support the tasks
• Productivity tracking and charts
• iCal synchronization - Add your tasks into your calendar, so you can see them in one place.

I use the premium version; which at the time of recording is $36 per year (about £28).

www.todoist.com

Evernote

ToDoIst integrates nicely with Evernote, so that any reminders I set are automatically created in ToDoIst.

Evernote is my note-taking app of choice.  I have tried others, such as Bear and OneNote, but I just can't seem to get on with them as well.  Maybe that's because I've been using Evernote for so many years, and it's second nature.  Certainly, Evernote have had some negative press over this last year, with their new brand image; but the product itself is very stable.

I use Evernote for almost everything, from scanning documents to store them, for storing e-receipts that arrive by email, and their webclipper which I use to capture and save information from the web.

Evernote has a basic, free, version which will be just fine for many.  There is also a premium offering which unlocks a boatload of functionality.  

www.evernote.com

Online Security

On the subject of the web - how safe are you?  In one episode I talked about security, not only of your passwords, but also general steps you can take to make sure you don't fall for the scammers that are so prevalent, and increasingly clever, nowadays.

Staying safe online doesn't have to be hard, and must be considered all the time. 

Here are a few simple steps:

• Don't write passwords down where they can be easily found
• Never give out your credit or debit card PIN
• Change passwords frequently and
• Use different passwords everywhere
• Be aware of phishing attacks too - if an offer looks too good to be true; then it probably is.

I also talked about using multi-factor authentication, also known as two-factor authentication, as an added layer of security.  It sounds more complex than it actually is.  Simply, set up a second device to act as a barrier for the scammer.  When you log in to an online account, then you'll need to use your mobile phone to authorise the login.  Even if the scammer has your login and password, without your second device, they won't get access to your account.

A good password manager will help you to manage all your passwords - I use LastPass; but others are available, such as 1Password and Dashlane.  They're well worth investigating.

www.lastpass.com

Online Photos and Online Storage

When I looked at these, in separate episodes, I claimed that Google was the winner in both cases.  I still maintain that. As a service, Google really is second-to-none and since they are available across all platforms, then you're not constrained by the device you use.

Plus, they're free to use.  Although I did caveat that statement; since Google don't charge you, they do make their money by selling information for advertising purposes.  So, whether you class the services as free is probably semantics.  The majority of us have a Google Gmail account, or use their Photos app, or Drive, for storage. 

Or used one of their other plentiful services; like Maps; Translate and more. 

I did also look at Apples photos and Amazon also have a Photos app; which is free for Prime members.  For online storage, as well as Google Drive there are also offerings from Microsoft OneDrive, Apple (iCloud, for Apple users only), Dropbox and Box.

Fantastical 2

Time management in a busy life is important, and I use Fantastical 2 for my calendar.  

I know that each operating system has their own calendar; like Calendar on iOS, or Google Calendar; but I prefer the way Fantastical 2 can be used to enter information.  It's natural language capability means I just type the entry, without really thinking about the format.

Available on iOS and Mac, with some great Apple Watch integration; Fantastical 2 is also integrated very well with ToDoIst.

On the iOS version you can choose your default maps application, to open directions; from either Apple Maps or Google Maps. You can also choose the default browser, for opening links.

On the MacOS version, I have a work calendar that will automatically be displayed when I arrive in the office. This allows me to concentrate on what's ahead of me for the day, and not be distracted by personal events. When I return home, my personal calendar will be displayed.

Calendars can also be set up in 'sets', which allows me to limit certain calendar views. Calendars I've subscribed to can also be set up within these 'sets', so I can see them too.  The Mac app also offers the choice of light or dark theme.

This isn't a free app; like many others, but you do get a whole lot of bang for your buck.

www.flexbits.com

Notion

Billed as the workspace for all your online 'stuff'.  Lego bricks for software.  Notion can be used for pretty much anything and is possibly this years fastest growing app.  You can capture notes, add tasks, use tables, include a calendar, upload images, link to other sites and much much more.

The note-taking isn't quite as good as Evernote; in my opinion, and the task manager doesn't yet allow for recurring tasks, so is a little limited.

However, it is one app that really does cater for everyone and everything, and is definitely worth a look.

It's free to use (if you don't use up all 1000 blocks) but you can delete blocks and free up space if you need to; so it genuinely is free.

www.notion.so

Feedly, Pocket & Pocket Casts

There are two apps that I use daily, usually multiple times a day, to get my fix of the news and articles I'm interested in reading.

Feedly is a news aggregator and is brilliant at serving up the news I chose to receive.  They've recently been undergoing some enhancements, and the upcoming new version is totally brilliant.

The other app is Pocket, and they have had a makeover this year.  Pocket is where I capture all the articles and news items that I want to read later.  It syncs up to be able to read offline, if necessary, and the update makes this a seamless and smooth experience.  They have also made their read-out-loud functionality more prominent - so you have have the app speak the stories.  It's spookily good! o

Talking of reading out loud - podcasts are a great way to listen to interesting discussions, reviews or entertainment - although I don't need to tell YOU that!

Pocket Casts is a great podcast app, and has also had a new release in the last few weeks.  I use Pocket Casts daily to listen to the podcasts I subscribe too.  There are others on the market, including Castbox, Overcast and more and I will take a look at some of them in the new year.

Feedly, Pocket and Pocket Casts are all free to download and use; but they also have premium versions available.

www.feedly.com

www.getpocket.com

www.pocketcasts.com

IFTTT & Zapier

Automation is probably the biggest part of being as productive as possible.  Using technology to streamline your workflows, means you can spend more time doing what matters most.

I gave some examples of the relatively simple ways I use automation; using IFTTT (If This Then That) to update a shopping list, and using Zapier to update a Google Sheet. 

For Zapier, one of the main uses I have is to add a line to a spreadsheet whenever I buy something from Amazon.  Whenever a confirmation email is received, I have set up a Zap that will look in the email, take the information and add to a line on a Google spreadsheet.  Now, I can see at a glance what I’ve bought!

Again, both of these are free to use.  IFTTT is available via the web and as an app. Zapier is only available via the web; and does have a cost if you need more than the basics on offer. 

www.ifttt.com

www.zapier.com

Drafts 5

Drafts 5 is an app purely for capturing text.  It's brilliant at that; but with some formatting, and integrations, I can update a field on a Draft 5 document, then run an Action which will, bear with me, run a Zap, from Zapier, and add a line to a Google Sheet.  It's really quick to do, and saves having to open the sheet, navigate to the row and type the info.

I also use Drafts to add to my To Do list, in ToDoIst.  Entering the task details, I then run an action to create a task directly.

There are times when I'll receive an email with lots of different dates for various meetings.  In Drafts, I will enter each one on a separate line, along with the date and time.  I then run an action called Fantastically Good Event Parser.  Then it will take each line and create a separate event in Fantastical 2, using the natural language ability of the app.  This has saved tons of time.

Unfortunately, Drafts 5 is only available on iOS; with a Mac version in the works.  It's free to download and use, but the pro version does unlock additional functionality - but this is not necessary to get the main benefits of this great app.

www.draftsapp.com

Thank You

So, that's it.  I've looked at ToDoIst, Evernote, IFTTT, Zapier, Drafts 5, Feedly, Pocket and Pocket Casts, Google Drive,  Fantastical 2 and Notion. 

I hope you’ve found this episode, indeed, this series, interesting. 

Links to all the apps I've mentioned are in the show notes. 

If you have any questions about anything I've talked about, or have any suggestions for future episodes, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

The series will return in the new year, with a fresh look at some of these apps, and a look at more productivity apps and ideas to help you be better at getting things done.  

Of course, all the previous episodes are available to listen to wherever you normally listen to podcasts, and don’t forget to subscribe, so that you're ready for the new series.

If you've already subscribed, then thank you very much; I really do appreciate it.

Have a great time over the festive period and wishing you all a very productive New Year.

Until next time, remember, Productivity Matters.

---

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The Swiss Army Knife for text

Introduction

Hi all and welcome to another episode from Productivity Matters. 

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 Julian, and on this episode I'm going to tell you about Drafts 5 - an app that lets you decide what to do with your text AFTER you've written it down..

Drafts 5

So, what is Drafts 5 and where can you use it?  Well, firstly, it's only available on iOS (via iPhone and iPad).  There is a Mac version coming, but it's not here yet.  It's not available on Android, Windows or the web.  It's a shame it's not everywhere, because, when you get under the bonnet (hood) and take a look, this is a very clever piece of software.

Imagine you are needing to take some notes.  They're not tasks, and they're not something you're going to do anything with immediately.  What do you do?  Fire up ToDoIst?  Open Evernote? Get a notepad?

Drafts 5 is an app that lets you type what you want, and just holds on to it, until you decide what you want to do with it.

Functionality

The application for Drafts 5 is immense.  In fact, at first look, it can do so much, it's scary.   In fact, on their website, they state that Drafts 5 is like the Swiss Army knife of text.

It's possible to create entire fully formatted, documents

When you launch the app, you are presented with an empty page, along with some navigation icons.

• Show existing documents
• Open a new document
• Get the information for the current documents
• Tags
• A character and word count
• Action button

At the bottom of the screen:

• Focus mode
• Navigation between documents
• Arrangement button
• Link
• Appearance
• General settings

Formatting and Dictation

I'll begin with the built in functionality.

• Text formatting
• Bullet points
• Bold/Italics
• Task lists
• Add web links
• Dictation - without the normal Siri limit

This last one is amazing.  You can quite literally speak, and Drafts 5 will capture it all.  You need to use grammatical words to punctuate the text, like, period or comma, but, of course, you can always go back over the text when you've finished, to format it and correct any words that were misheard.

There is also support for Apple Watch, Siri integration, iCloud sync, version history, custom app icons, different themes - yes, dark theme is available.  You can use iOS widgets for quick access to documents and more.

You can set up a text editing experience that's just how you want to use it.  There are tons of adjustments, like custom fonts, control ver spacing, line height and margins.

There are also extended options in a row above the keyboard, giving you easy access to the functionality.

If you write long-form articles, Drafts 5 gives you the ability to re-arrange complete blocks or individual lines - just by drag and dropping.  It's a great, simple, way to edit an article.

There are workspaces, which allows you to keep related documents together, and there is also tagging; helping to keep everything organised.

The power of Drafts 5 comes from the Actions catalogue.  There are so many integrations; too many to list here, that you can use to enhance the Drafts 5 capabilities.

Having said all that, let me give you some real-life examples of how I use Drafts 5.  I'm no power-user, but the way it helps me is fantastic.

Drafts 5 is available on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch

Examples

Basic

First and foremost, I use drafts to capture thoughts.  It's an app in my iPhone dock, and therefore can be reached quickly.  I just type and type and that's it.  Later, I can review and decide what to do.

ToDoIst

I also use Drafts to add to my To Do list, in ToDoIst.  Entering the task details, I then run an action to create a task directly.  I can also enter multiple tasks, one per line, and use a slightly different action to create multiple tasks in ToDoIst - that's a real time-saver.

Fantastical2

There are times when I'll receive and email with lots of different dates for various meetings.  In Drafts, I will enter each one on a separate line, along with the date and time.  I then run an action called Fantastically Good Event Parser. 

This bit is really clever - it will take each line and create a separate event in Fantasical 2, using the natural language ability of the app.  This has saved tons of time.

Automation

Those are a couple of basic applications; but it's possible to take the automation to another level.

I also use Drafts 5 to update a Google Sheet.  When I take a payment from a parent at my Cub group; I have a pre-formatted page, where I enter the date, amount and reason - I then run an action, which in turn calls a Zap from Zapier; and the sheet is updated.

How about creating an invoice?  Again, using a similar page to the one I just mentioned; I enter the date and number of days to be invoiced; and when I run the action, a Zap will enter this onto a new line in Sheets.  Another Zap then picks this up and creates the invoice inside my invoicing software.  Brilliant.

One final example - returning to the Cub pack; if I want to send a group message, I can write it in advance in Drafts, and when it's time, I'll send it directly via WhatsApp, to the group.  It means I can create the message without fear of sending it in error; and if I have a task in ToDoIst to remind me to send it - then, job done!

More

I have only scraped the surface of what Drafts 5 can do once a Draft has been created.  Other functionality includes; saving to online storage services, like Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox etc, or saving locally, to Files.

You can even integrate Drafts 5 into a Shortcut workflow, so you can retrieve a Draft document, do something with it and continue.

Cost

Almost every developer offers a free version of the app, that gives you the chance to try it before you buy.  Others have free use forever, but without the full feature set available.  Drafts 5 falls into this second category.  

You get one week of the full application, to try everything, then either pay £1.79 per month, or sign up for the annual subscription for £17.49 to get all the features.

Drafts Pro gives you the ability to edit Actions, different themes, Workspaces and more.  

Do you NEED all this?  

Many users can get by with the basic version, and quite rightly, the developer hasn't held back on the necessities; but if you feel you'll want workspaces to better organise your texts, you want the dark theme, or you'll be making use of Actions and need to edit them, then it's definitely worth the investment.

Thank You

You may have gathered that I enjoy using Drafts and I hope you’ve found this episode interesting.

Find out more about Drafts 5 at their website

If you have any questions about Drafts 5 or anything else, 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.

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

Being Productive

Introduction

Hello and welcome to episode 15 of my Productivity Matters Podcast. 

What does being productive mean to you?  It’s all very well having some great apps to help you organise, but if they don't help you to actually be productive, then what's the point.

I’m Julian and on this episode I'm going to look what it actually means to be productive.

Coming up on Productivity Matters.

What is Productivity?

We need to get to the heart of productivity, if we're to understand how the tools and methods can help.

Productivity means different things to each of us; but one thing I think we can all agree on is that it’s the means to getting things done in the most efficient manner. 

It may be that the easiest way to do this is using good old-fashioned pen and paper.  A chart on the wall to track tasks.

However, as we know, and the main reason for this podcast, the tech world has been overtaken with software and apps to help you do something better.  Throughout business there are tons of methods designed to help navigate the swathes of red tape and challenges of project work. 

Tools

If you've heard previous episodes, then you’ll know that I’m a proponent of using the tools available. 

They’ve helped me to get organised and they should help you too. 

However, using apps is a habit forming process. Sometimes we actually need to remember that we have them; and with all the options available it can sometimes be easier to not bother. 

On the other hand. Do you actually need the app?

Does having an app make you more productive or does it, in reality, slow you down?  Until you have used the app or software for a while, it can seem to take longer to do something.

Consider you have a big task to complete.  Alongside it, there are smaller pieces of work that also need to get finished. 

What do you do first?

Well, and remember this is my opinion, what you should do is focus on that one big task. The one that looks hard. Get it done and out of the way!

You’ll feel a great sense of achievement once it’s complete, knowing that, finally, you’ve got it done. 

Now you can work on all the smaller tasks. 

ToDoIst

Let’s look at the apps that I use that help me. Now, these aren’t in a particular order, because what comes first? Is it the note-taking or the information?

I use ToDoIst for managing individual tasks. Now, admittedly, it took me some time to get into the habit; but now everything I need to do goes in there. 

There are quick entry methods to capture them and it takes little to no time to record what I need to do. I even forward emails to ToDoIst so the info is there.

In my ToDoIst, I have a number of projects; from work to personal and the Cubs group.  I have a project called ‘Routines’, which is broken further to Daily, Weekly and Monthly - this is for all the recurring tasks.  

Now that I’m in the habit, absolutely everything I need to do is entered, and it sits in the default ‘Inbox’ until I review them.  I have recurring task to review everything at the end of each day.  Whether that’s to prioritise them, categorise them or simply delete them, because they’re no longer relevant.

I use dates and reminders, so that I can stay on top of what needs to be done.

Evernote

Next, there’s Evernote. I’ve recorded a couple of podcasts about Evernote and it’s my number one choice for taking notes and capturing info for later use. I scan pretty much every official letter or document that comes through the post and I collate clippings from the web; using their Web Clipper; which is just brilliant.

It’s a terrific app for storing notes and thoughts and important information - instantly available. 

I can set reminders for notes, to pop-up at a certain time; and I have also created a Zap (through Zapier) that has that reminder appear in ToDoIst!

Email

Using a good email client will help manage the mail; I use Spark at the moment; on my phone and MacBook.  The Smart Inbox means I always have a Zero inbox - since I clear messages almost immediately.  

Then I use Fantastical 2 as my calendar; also on my phone and MacBook. I like the natural way that events can be created. 

Feedly and Pocket

For news I use Feedly and I use a recipe on IFTTT to add items to Pocket for reading later. 

Does that class as being productive? Well, it may not help to get things done, but it streamlines some of my workflow. 

Thank You

And there you have it.  A quick look at some of the apps I use.  

Being productive to me means getting the best result in the most efficient way. The tools I’ve mentioned help me to do that. 

What does being productive mean to you? What motivates you to get things done? Get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

I hope you’ve found this episode interesting.

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

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IFTTT and Zapier

Intro

Hi. Welcome to episode 11 of this Productivity Matters Podcast. 

Have you ever wondered how you could make your technical life simpler?  I’m Julian, your host for this episode, and I’m going to take a look at two systems that let you do just that. 

IFTTT and Zapier, are ways to get your services, apps and devices talking to each other to save you time.

But First. The intro music 

Why Automate

Have you ever wanted to save a photo you posted on social media?  Do you want to know if you’ll need an umbrella (without needing to check the weather)? What about using your Amazon Echo device to add to something to you Apple Reminders shopping list?

The possibilities are, almost, endless.  Missed a call? Then set the ringer to high volume so you don’t miss the next one!

Want to turn WiFi on, on your phone, when you leave home?  Set it to automatically switch off when you go out!

Do you listen to Spotify (or other music service) Then add a saved song to a spreadsheet.

Maybe you want to update your Twitter profile picture when you update your Facebook profile pic.  IFTTT will automate that, so you don’t have to go to two different places.

Want to know when the International Space Station is overhead? - run an applet on IFTTT to alert you.

I could spend the next few minutes just reading through all the possible variations of applets, that are available via IFTTT.

IFTTT

Why is it called IFTTT?  This is taken from the way a software developer writes code designed to look at the options and then make a decision.  Quite literally, If This happens Then do That.

With the app, you create an Applet. Or you can use one of a multitude of applets that are already available, and shared by other users.  These applets connect the services you want to run.

Examples

For example; you’re out and about with your Fitbit, increasing your steps and activity, but you want to track this over time.  Simply set up an applet, that’s been created by Fitbit, to upload your daily activity to a Google spreadsheet.  You will then have a line-by-line record.

Maybe you have a shared Reminder on your iPhone, for your shopping list.  And you have an Amazon Echo.  You can ask Alexa to add something to your shopping list, and IFTTT will pick this up and put it on your Apple Reminder.

Another example of the way I use it, is for when I post a picture on Instagram (which I don’t do THAT often), the picture is also posted to my Twitter account.  This might not sound like a big deal, but a few years ago, Twitter stopped that from happening organically - so the IFTTT service means it can still be done.

There are thousands of this applets already available, but you can create your own recipes.

The big beauty about IFTTT is that it’s completely free to download and use.  It’s available on iOS and Android, as well as via the web.

Zapier

Zapier, in contrast, doesn’t have an app.  It’s all on the web; and whilst this is very much geared towards businesses, there is still much it can do to save you time.  You create Zaps that do the work for you.

So, what exactly is a Zap? Well, it’s a connection, or integration, between two or more apps that automates your task. A Zap is made of a "trigger" (ex.: When I receive a new email in Gmail...) and an "action" (ex.: ...send me an SMS message). 

Zaps run automatically to move and manage data without any work on your part.

One of the main uses I have is to add a line to a spreadsheet whenever I buy something from Amazon.  Yep; sounds a little geeky, but whenever a confirmation email is received, I have set up a process (or Zap as they're known) that will look in the email, take the date, order number, item description and price and add to a line on a Google spreadsheet.  Now, I can see at a glance what I’ve bought, and the total I’ve spent.  Although sometimes I’m not sure that I want to know.

How about this one.... I use a Google Sheet to compose tweets.  Zapier is looking for new rows on the sheet, and when it finds one, it picks up the content and sends it to Buffer, to be scheduled to go to Twitter.  It means I can write tweets in advance, and they will automatically post at pre-determined times.  

Examples

Another example is after I’ve uploaded a document to Google Drive, a Zap will pick it up and move it to a specific directory.  It saves me time having to locate the directory at the time of uploading it.

There are tons of integrations that you can explore - it’s worth having a look to see what Zapier could do to help you.

More importantly, the majority of the zaps can be created easily, via a step-by-step process led by the software.  You don't need knowledge of software development; although you can make really complex zaps if you need to.  Zapier has some pretty good documentation and support.

Cost

Zapier is free to use the basic service, which allows only two-step Zaps; anything above that will require a subscription, starting at $20 per month.  However, this is more of a business service and the cost can easily be considered an actual saving, due to the amount of time that could be saved repeating tasks.

Conclusion

So, there you have it.  Two excellent services that enable you to get things done and save you time in the process.  It’s the small things that count.  By automating even the smallest tasks will build up and save you more time in the long run.

Thank You

I hope you’ve found this episode interesting.

I love taking control and saving snippets of time by using these services.  If you have any questions about IFTTT or Zapier, or any ways you can save time, then please get in touch via Twitter @prodmatters

Don’t forget to subscribe where you normally listen to podcasts.

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

POSTSCRIPT - I got the pronounciation of Zapier wrong! It sounds the same as Happier :)

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.