How many times do you say, “There’s not enough time in the day.” Unfortunately, that seems to be my default response. Whether it is doing up some new, niche information product, or consulting for a multi-million dollar organization, time always seems to be in short supply. It’s that one thing you can never get back.
Like so many of you, I have grown to be a huge fan of Lifehacker.com. I keep up with the site through my Q whenever I get some unforeseen downtime. The bottom line is simple - the less time we use up while working on some project, the quicker we can move on to the next task.
With that in mind, I thought I would share some of the tips and tricks I use on a daily basis to stay ahead of the curve. In fact, when I am in front of clients, they ALWAYS ask me to teach them something new because I can move around a computer pretty well. For instance, on a Windows machine, press Alt and Tab at the same time. It brings up a selection you can use to get to another running program. The two seconds you spend reaching for a mouse, times 110 times a day, equals some pretty significant time savings.
Wikidpad
My first entry into this informal series is an application called Wikidpad. Since I found this open source gem, I have grown to hate Microsoft Word, Open Office, and even Notepad.
What Wikipad does is really simple. It gives you an interface to write a wiki on your local computer. For those of you unfamiliar with wiki’s, it is no big deal to get started. You open up the application, and start typing. Every time you mash two words together, like ‘InformationProducts’, it creates a hyperlink. Then, you can double click on it and be transported to the InformationProducts Page.
I wrote the domaining ebook at artofdomaining.com in WikidPad. I am editing my newest creation, Business Ideas Unlocked, in WikidPad. I keep a file with all of my personal tips and tricks in it. I keep a journal for myself in there as well!
Here is a screenshot of WikidPad in action:
Then, we double click on BusinessIdeasUnlocked, and the Table of Contents comes up:
Now, all we have to do is double click on the chapter, and start typing!
WikidPad isn’t the an application that makes the text look pretty, but it does help you get a lot of work done very quickly. I like it because I can organize my thoughts (or chapters, ideas, projects) in a very logical manner, without overlapping.
How I usually start is by figuring out what I want to write about, then laying out the general structure of the chapters. Then I go in and start filling those chapters in with content, sometimes putting subpages in there, sometimes not. Once I think I have completed an idea, I move on to the next section!
Then, once I am all done adding content, I put it in Microsoft Word and format the text, the table of contents, and so on. Then, output it in PDF form. What could be simpler than that?
So, now that you know one of my favorite information generation tools, how could you use it? Are you an expert in 3D animation? Or maybe in martial arts? Or perhaps event management or trade show displays are your thing. How can you start making a passive income using the Internet?
