Okay, so this week’s assignment won’t be as fancy as last week’s.
I think it is perhaps the most boring assignment out of the whole Summer School process…
…but it IS necessary.
Think for a moment. In the past year, how many “lost my cell phone/got a new cell phone, text me your number” posts have you seen on facebook? How many times have you received a message asking for your current mailing address because someone just received a new computer?
There is no reason for either of these requests to be posted anymore.
We’ve had the ability to sync our phones and computers for at least the past decade. In the past few years, this has become even easier.
If we’re wasting all of our time reentering information, we’re not able to spend our time developing our skills and utilizing the technology to better serve our organizations.
So this week, you have 2.5 assignments.
Assignment #1
Sync your phone and your computer. Unless your cell phone is 10+ years old, it will have the ability to do this. Obviously it’s easiest if you’re on an iPhone or a Droid or one of the other smart phones, but there are other ways to still make this happen. I started syncing my Razor phone with my Mac in 2005. It’s 2011 now. Make it happen. This way, if you lose a phone or purchase a new one, it will take no more than a few minutes to get you up and running again.
Seriously. Spend the time and do it.
No, really. Do it.
Assignment #1.5
Sync your phone and computer on a cloud. This is an optional assignment as there is likely some cost involved. Cloud computing is becoming a lot more prevalent. You may have recently seen all the press involving Apple’s iCloud. Whether you end up using that service, or another cloud based system, they are definitely the direction we’re heading. I started using MobileMe (the precursor to iCloud) in 2009 and I wish I had started earlier. When I update my contacts or an event on my calendar it also updates all of my other devices. I’m assured I have the most up-to-date version no matter which device I’m using. I even use it for important files, a lesson I learned this past fall when my harddrive failed and I almost lost a necessary presentation.
If you’re currently using any form of a Smart Phone, you should be heading towards this type of a system.
One note: if you are an iPhone/Mac user like me, you may have to wait a bit on this as the company transitions to iCloud. There are other systems out there that would work (I just obviously have an Apple bias).
Assignment #2
Update Your Address Book/Calendar. Wait, didn’t we just do this? I’m not talking about the syncing here or how you share information. I’m talking about the content of your devices.
Take the time (as it does take time), to go through and update your information.
Do you have last names listed in your address book? Most people don’t. It might not too big of a difference now, but it will down the road as your contact list expands.
Can you assign people to different groups or categories in your address book?
Do you have the most up-to-date addresses listed? Email address?
Do you have a field for your contacts birthdays? favorite things?
Could you assign a photo to people?
Do you have the right type of categories for your calendar?
Could you set up a calendar for the summer?
Again, it’s a matter of allowing the technology to work FOR us. It does require a little bit of work on the front end, but this small investment of time now will pay of dividends down the road.