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The premise behind this site is to try to find ways to do things more easily…preferrably by creating systems that allow things to get done more easily and efficiently.
I’m fascinated by the concept of automation! Think of all of the things that we currently automate in our lives…I’ve made a little list of things that I currently have automated just to give you an idea of how transparent automation can be…almost to the point of forgetting that something is even automated!
1. Automatic bill-paying services. All of our bills are automatically paid either directly debited from our checking by the company we are paying or via our bank that pays bills automatically for us. I honestly can’t remember the last time I opened a bill and paid it with a paper check!
2. Netflix: How can I explain how much I LOVE Netflix! My husband and I last went to a video store about two years ago! Our movie queue is about 100 movies long and we keep adding new ones all the time!
3. The washing machine and dryer….so hard to remember that these handy devices have saved us so much time doing laundry compared to the way our grandmothers did laundry!
4. The dishwasher….could not live without it. The five minutes it takes to load and unload is NOTHING compared to the time it takes to hand wash dishes! And I HATE doing dishes!
5. The slow cooker, or Crock-Pot. We received two large ones for our wedding along with a smaller one and two little ones. Admittedly, I haven’t been as good about using them lately but I have some new recipes I plan to try this Winter!
6. Cleaning the floors with my Roomba: What a great invention! If you have a dog (or kids) or just a busy lifestyle I highly recommend getting a Roomba vacuum cleaner. Just press the button and away it goes. Some even have a scheduler that allows you to set the exact time when you want Roomba to go to work! The height of automation!
But the big question is not what you are currently automating in your life, but what do you WISH you could automate? Is it the cleaning tasks you need to do? Bookkeeping and paying bills? Processes in your business?
My personal wish list for the next year is:
1. Automate more of my cleaning in my home. I hate cleaning so if I can find a way for something to get accomplished while I do something else, I’m all for it!
2. Find ways to keep track of information, appointments and other info so that I can be prepared for anything!
3. Automate more tasks in my business. I really need to find ways to get more things accomplished in less time…preferrably by having three or four tasks all hummin’ along at once.
4. Create “systems” for doing things…..much like a flow chart that takes tasks one step at a time and that can be repeated over and over again. This is probably one of my biggest priorities as I try to get more of my personal and business life organized. I tend to do something one way one time, then forget how I did it, only to re-invent the wheel again later. It’s a waste of time and energy, so creating systems and maybe even a manual for what I do frequently should be my top task.
What do you wish you could automate in your life? Do you wish you had more control over your finances or your tasks at home? Do you find that at work you are always struggling to find a predictable way to repeat a task that you do frequently? Do you lose control of paper and other items? Are you buried under a to-do list that never seems to be finished?
9 responses so far ↓
1 Brenda Nicholson // Oct 28, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I use my iTouch iPod to keep track of appointments, information, contacts, and so much more.
Before that, I used a Palm Pilot. I couldn’t live without a device like this. It got me through my mother’s illness & death, my dad’s long term disability, keeping track of his records, bills, etc.
And the best part is that it’s portable and holds so much. My iPod has 8GB!
Brenda Nicholson´s last blog post..ADD is OK
2 CaraM - TheHouseholdHelper // Oct 29, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I’m still old school and keep hand-written lists for everything and use a DayPlanner. For the coming year, I’d like to leave my comfort zone and try something automated like the iTouch iPod.
CaraM - TheHouseholdHelper´s last blog post..Wordless Wednesday
3 Heather // Oct 30, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I love Netflix too! We actually JUST got a membership last week and it is awesome.
Heather´s last blog post..Super Fabulous Wordpress Design - Giveaway!
4 Cloth Diaper Lady // Oct 31, 2008 at 10:35 am
I wish I could automate phone calls to old friends. I have so many old friends that I have lost contact with. If only there were some tool that would sound an alarm when the kids are strapped into their carseats and I am backing out of the driveway. That’s when I have a solid 15minutes to talk on the phone. I just need the reminder system to tel me to call an old friend, or the doctor, or the utility company. A very loud alarm! lol
5 Tanya Watson // Nov 1, 2008 at 11:39 am
Like CaraM said, I am also using paper for my to do lists and planners. I would like to get a palm pilot or something like it to do all my planning and to-do lists in one place.
6 Melody // Nov 2, 2008 at 9:34 am
I’m a big fan of automation, systems, tools and gadgets that simplify life and business.
I really wish I could automate, my husband! I hate asking him to do things or I forget to ask and he never notices or doesn’t think they are important.
Melody´s last blog post..Cherry Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
7 Tsoniki Crazy Bull // Nov 3, 2008 at 5:53 pm
The six things that you listed - I do them! I do keep a to-do list by paper but keep others lists on my blackberry. To do on paper is just easier for me.
I wish I could automate cleaning the bathrooms. LOL
Tsoniki Crazy Bull´s last blog post..Mini Offices Times Two
8 Kelly // Nov 6, 2008 at 8:13 am
I don’t have much in the way of automation in my apartment. The last place had a dishwasher - I miss that! I don’t have a washer or dryer either - but I discovered that the laundromat offers drop off laundry service and took advantage of that recently
Kelly´s last blog post..Work at Home Moms Talk Radio #246
9 Leisa Watkins // Nov 6, 2008 at 8:19 am
I would love to automate more of the cleaning, or the cleaning processes in our home. I started by creating step-by-step 3 x 5 cards for each of the tasks so anyone in the house could do it from start to finish. In includes steps like put away the broom and the dust pan.
I am now working on getting a system in place that uses the cards. Inconsistency is my problem.
That being said, I’d love a self-cleaning house.
Leisa
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