Send Email and Text Messages Instead
In case you haven’t noticed, that teenage babysitter doesn’t spend too much talking on the phone anymore. Instead, she much prefers to send text messages to her friends and keep them updated on Twitter. You need to adjust your communication methods accordingly.
When you are out for the night and want to check in on the children, send a quick text message to the babysitter rather than call her. You’re more likely to get a prompt reply and you know that she’ll get the message (she might not pick up your home phone).
The concept of using text messages and e-mail to communicate can extend to your own kids too. It can be hard to keep track of all those soccer practices, dentist appointments, and family excursions. By using text messages and email, you leave a (virtual) paper trail that can easily be referenced. Does this de-humanize the human interaction element? Perhaps, but it sure makes life a little more efficient.
Cozi Up Your Grocery Shopping List
We’ve all been there. You come back from the grocery store with bags full of purchases, only to realize that you forgot to buy item A or product B. It’s a pain when you have an incomplete shopping list.
The first part of this tip is to keep a notepad in the kitchen somewhere, preferably stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet. When you run out of something, write it down on this notepad right away. Tell everyone in the family to do this. By doing so, you’ll be sure to note everything that needs to be purchased.
The second part of this tip is to use a tool like the one offered by Cozi. It’s free and you can send a text message to your account to automatically add something to your shopping list. You can even call in to get your list read to you or, better yet, access the mobile site to read the list on the go.
Organize Events with Google Calendar
Are you planning a small get-together? Maybe you’re hosting a birthday party or a baby shower? The old fashioned way would have you calling each of the potential attendees to supply the necessary details and to collect RSVPs, but we’re in the 21st century now.
You could use the Facebook Events utility, but that could be a little too public for some people’s tastes. You could use a service like Evite, that’s very “standalone” in nature. Instead, you can set up the event using Google Calendar instead.
In addition to organizing your own appointments, Google Calendar allows you to invite guests, track RSVPs, and allow attendees to leave comments. This is all integrated back into Google, so it means you can sync it with your smartphone quickly and easily.