They have an app for everything

It is interesting to see how nifty apps are changing how we interact at events.

Last evening I went to our local “Give me 5 for Kids” annual art auction which hosted both live and silent auctions.

When this event started about 8 years ago, we would wander around writing our names and dollar amount bids on sheets of paper. Then it moved to gadgets that you inserted your credit card into and entered your bid. This time, I needed my phone, an internet connection and yes, my credit card.

When we arrived, I asked how to make a bid as I had four favourites and I wanted to be in with a chance.

The lady asked me for my phone, from which she sent a text message to GM5ART (which was registered to the auction team). I then received a response with a website link and my password and I was in business!

What app did they use? Galabid. Check out their website at www.galabid.com. It was easy to use and made bidding fun (which is half of the game).

PS. I did buy 2 pieces and here is one of them.

Word Formatting shortcut keys

Short cut keys can sometimes save you a second (or two) when you are navigating around MS‑Word. Here are five of my favourite short cut keys for formatting a document.

1. Trying to make some text stand out? After selecting your text, try pressing [Ctrl + Shift + K] to give you small caps text. [Ctrl + Z] will undo this if you don’t like it).
2. [Shift + Enter] will create a soft return. Great for when you need an extra blank line between bullets points or numbered lists.
3. Need to centre your text? Try pressing [Ctrl + E]. Note: [Ctrl + L] will left align, and [Ctrl + R] will right align your text.
4. Need to have a date in a document that changes to the current date when you re-open the document? Try [Shift + Alt + D]. This will insert the current date and you can update it by clicking on the update tag that is displayed when you next open the document.
5. A quick way to indent a paragraph is to press [Ctrl + M]. You can do this multiple times to increase the indent, and when you want to cancel the indent press [Shift + Ctrl + M].

When I use the + symbol between keys, this means to hold down the first (and sometimes second) key before pressing the last key.

All of these short cuts work in Word 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016. If you are using a Mac, replace the Ctrl key with the Command key.

Watch our video on how to use these short cut keys.

Who moved my mouse?

Seeing small fast moving objects is difficult at the best of times. Add the complication of working on a high resolution laptop and if you have anything less than 20/20 vision you can have trouble finding your mouse – I know I do!

There is an easy way to solve this problem.

Windows 7

1. Click on the Windows button (bottom left corner) and select Control Panel from the right hand options
2. Select Mouse
3. You will now be presented with lots of mouse options. I suggest only changing one thing at a time and make a note of what you change (so you can undo the feature if you don’t like the result)
4. To make your mouse stand out, select the tab Pointers and you might like to change the scheme from “Windows Aero (system scheme)” to “Magnified (system scheme)”
5. Click on Apply and then on OK
6. To change this back, simply repeat the steps and select another option.

PS: Some other options you might like to experiment with are on the Pointer Options tab. You can choose to “Display pointer trails”, which will help you see the pointer more easily as it moves. And at the bottom of that same tab, you can check the box that says “Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key”.

Windows 10

1. Click on the Windows image (bottom left corner) and select Settings
2. Now you can type “mouse” into the Find a setting field, or select Devices
3. Select Mouse & touchpad then Additional mouse options
4. You can now follow from step 4 above

And while we’re on the subject of vision – don’t forget our earlier tip around eye strain. You can use an app to monitor your time on the computer or tablet and ensure you take breaks and/or do eye exercises to help you reduce fatigue.

Concentrate…part 5

In this final article on ways to improve your concentration, we look at a mixed bag of tips and techniques that might help you.

• Prioritise – having too much to do can be distracting, and this often leads to procrastination. Do you jump quickly from task to task, creating an illusion of work but in reality, not achieving much? Try starting your day (or ending the day before) with 10 or 15 minutes to prioritise your to-do list. There are many articles you can read on ways of overcoming procrastination – see if you can find one that suits you.
• Take on your hardest tasks when you are most alert and fresh – this will help you maximise your concentration. For most of us this will be first thing in the morning but everyone is different and you will know what time of day you are at your best, so use it wisely.
• If you have a headset for your phone, consider using it for a few hours each day. If colleagues think that you are on the phone, they will be less likely to interrupt you.
• Promise yourself a reward – this can be great if you work alone or for yourself and don’t have the support of a team to help keep you motivated. For example, I promise myself a trip to the local florist which is also a great coffee shop. Small self-rewards can be great motivators.
• Turn off email notifications or better still have email down-time. It can be very distracting to have emails pinging into your inbox every few minutes – you’re tempted to stop what you’re doing and answer them. In Outlook to turn off the email notification, select File > Options > Mail and under the Message arrival banner un-check the “Play a sound” option. Better yet, turn off your email altogether and jot your notes into Word and copy and paste them into Outlook when you are online next.

Many of the suggestions covered in this five-part series on improving concentration and focus may be obvious and some you probably already know. But when you are absorbed in problems and trying to get focussed, it can be all too easy not to consider what you already know, so hopefully these reminders will be useful. If you just try one or two of the techniques you might find you get enough of a boost to your concentration to try more!

Concentrate…part 4

This week we will consider your mindset and how it affects your productivity and ability to concentrate on what you have to do. Most of us have so much on our minds it is easy to be distracted from what we should be doing. Try some of these techniques:

• Set aside time to deal with worries – if you are constantly worrying about other things, you won’t be able to focus on the task in hand. Maybe you have an approaching deadline for a project you haven’t started, a new colleague causing problems, or just too much work on your plate. If you find yourself distracted by worries, note them down (for example, in Evernote) so that you can let them go, then schedule time to deal with them properly.
• Focus on finishing one task at a time – 15 to 30 seconds can be all it takes to answer an email, send a text or take a quick phone call, but it disrupts your focus. Some researchers say it can take up to 15 minutes to regain complete focus after even the smallest disruption.
• Limit distractions – close your email and any chat programs, put your mobile phone on flight mode and let your voice mail do its job. If your office allows it, close your door or put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign to let colleagues know you need to focus. If you’re a manager and you want to operate an open door policy, then consider working from home or in another room. If you work from home, set boundaries with family and friends to set aside particular time slots for undisturbed work.
• Switch between high- and low-attention tasks – this can give your brain a rest after heavy concentration. For instance, if you spend two hours working on your budget, you’ll probably feel tired afterward. Recharge your energy by working on a low-attention task, like filing, for 15 minutes before going back to your budget.