Reply Within…
Why?
Even though email is an asynchronous system by its nature, it might be useful to have a context of the urgency of reply. Something that is more precise than “low/normal/high priority.”
How?
Use one digit number from 0 to 9 to specify the number of days until you would like to receive a reply. Start your subject line with this figure. Zero for today, one for tomorrow, etc.
Icons made by Freepik
Know Your Cooking Time
Why?
You put something in the oven, set the timer and want to drink or have a smoke in the garden.
How?
Oven timer that synchronizes with your smartphone app so you can see the remaining time until you need to go back to the oven, and also get an alert when time’s up.
Icons made by Freepik
Copywriting Swipe File Management Software
Why?
Document and quickly reference your work in the future when you need inspiration.
How?
Use a content management system (can even be a private WordPress blog) to store the swipe file you write: emails, landing pages, etc. Tag each with the specific descriptors, so later when you need inspiration, you can easily and quickly find old/new ideas.
Icons made by Freepik
Hire an Apprentice
Why?
Get someone to do all the tedious stuff in your life so you can have more time for your important work, and give them insight and access to the “secrets and knowledge” of makes you a success.
How?
Advertise for a free or very low paying apprentice position with you. You need to be able to give them true knowledge they are interested in, and it’s probably better if they are young (late teens to early twenties.) They need to be hard workers, and intensely interested in the areas you are knowledgeable in. Publish (an ad) with a list of reasons why they should not apply (no or low pay, hard demanding work, etc.), and also why they may want to apply (unparalleled access to you and your knowledge.) You need to discourage all but the right people from applying for the right reasons.
Icons made by Freepik
Family Synchronized Shopping List
Why?
Avoid both buying the same items twice or not at all because of you either both went shopping (maybe even also one of the kids) or none of you did because you all thought the other one did.
How?
A smartphone app that everyone in the family who does shopping for everyday items installs. There is one shopping list with two views – a shared one with all the items, and your list of the items you chose to do the shopping for. Each person can add a new item to the shopping list, or mark an item in one of two ways:
1. I am going to buy this today
2. Purchased
So if you know that on your way home from work you are going to pick up milk and eggs, you mark them as “I’ll get this,” so others can see that it’s been taken care of and not plan on buying it too. When you bought the item, you mark it as “purchased.” You can also purchase an item someone else is going to if it’s not purchased yet, by “stealing it from them” and marking it as “I’ll get it.” In that case, the other person already planning on buying it will get an alert.
Icons made by Freepik