“The trouble is, you think you have time.”
For those of us in the legal industry, time is a tricky thing. While it’s definitely billable, the problem is that it’s non-refundable. Once it’s spent, it’s gone. And if it’s not spent efficiently, it becomes worthless.
At DLE Court Reporters, we’ve learned that the best way to save time – and boost our productivity – during working hours is to rescue it from poor organizational skills. Here are our top five organization tips to boost productivity. (And, since we’re a tech-obsessed firm, most of them involve tools that can live on your smartphone, so they’re always within reach!)
- Either you run your passwords, or your passwords run you. Client confidentiality is paramount to all of us in the legal industry, and so is creating secure passwords. It’s virtually impossible to remember all your passwords, so consider tools that not only create strong, unique passwords, but also keep your files and information encrypted and secure. Our favorite for the past few years has been LastPass, but we’re also fans of Dashlane.
- Productivity is never an accident. It is always a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort. In short, make a list and stick to it. Wunderlist is a brilliant app that organizes your tasks, sets automated reminders, and even scours your email to convert the content into tasks.
- Away from your desk? Not a problem if you’ve got Team Viewer. It’s a remote control app that enables you to access and operate your Mac, Linux, or Windows systems from your phone. Plus, it offers excellent security encoding so there’s no worries about viewing sensitive documents.
- Our team at DLE Court Reporters travels a lot, so we rely on itinerary apps to keep track of our plane tickets, hotel reservations, and assorted other business travel details. Our current favorite is TripIt.
- Even the best of us is bested by a dead battery and no way to charge it. First, remember to pack extra battery packs. Or, just ask one of our reporters for one; we’re never caught without backup! Second, consider adding Last Message App to your phone, which notifies your incoming messages and calls that you’re out of commission for a bit.
So take it from our productive time-savers at DLE Court Reporters, and add these simple yet incredibly valuable time-saving tools to that small rectangle you’re probably holding right this very minute.
