Six Sigma Blogs

I adore gadgets.

I’ve nabbed pretty much every sort of smartphone straight from the Treo thru Windows smartphones to my glossy new iPhone 4.

And I love tools too. I must have acquired each available to-do manager on the market.

So with all of these productivity enhancing tech and tool purchases you’d have thought I’d become more productive, right?

Well, in that I can now fill my quiet time with activities, yes.

If i’m on the train or in a cab I am able to read my email. Using my online CRM I am able to browse my customer and prospect details anytime, anywhere, anywhere. If i’m in the no man’s land I’m able to still keep in contact with my Twitter chums.

But the reality is that none of these activities are especially crucial for my business. They’re not trivial. But they are not vital.

In essence, the tools have made me more productive at the mundane. They’ve allowed me to do admin when I wouldn’t formerly have been doing anything.

Or would I?

If I look back at what I actually used to do when I was sitting on a train, or in a taxi it turns out I wasn’t doing nothing.

If I was on a train then typically I’d be reading. Learning useful stuff. Or thinking about a client or project perhaps planning or taking notes.

And in fact this is crucial stuff. Actually bothering to consider my work and my clients or to enhance my knowledge and skills.

Way more significant than answering emails, tweeting or doing admin.

The indisputable fact that I’m always online with my iPhone has meant that I now spend some more time reacting to events ( email, tweets, even phone calls ) than I do proactively thinking and planning. My ability to obtain access to this steady electronic stimulation has squeezed out the quiet time where I used to actually do some of my best thinking.

And it is getting worse.

Being consistently online has conditioned me now to check my email when I’m a little bored to work out if something interesting has come in.

And usually it has.

Not something significant. Potentially not nearly as crucial as the document or the plan or the concept I was supposed to be working on when I got a bit stuck. But fascinating.

And if there’s nothing fascinating on e-mail I’m sure there will be on Twitter. Or I could always check my website statistics for the 20 th time today.

Lord help me, I’ve even just checked e-mail now while I was in the middle of writing this blog post.

And who knows how bad I’d be if I had a Blackberry with that horrible red light that tells you when you get a new email. I don’t know I’d ever be strong enough to resist checking what had come in.

In truth, we’ve got more productive at the things which are not particularly critical and less productive at the thoughtful tough work that truly is.

We’re obsessed by real time. I had to giggle lately when otherwise-sensible social media guru David Meerman-Scott lauded the new development in Tweetdeck that meant you got instant updates rather than every 30 seconds. ‘Cos being Twenty-nine seconds behind the times is going to kill ‘ya

Now here’s the thing : I am not saying all these productivity tools and technology are a negative thing. Regardless of whether they were, it’s too late the genie’s out of the bottle.

But what we want to do me particularly is learn to become their master, not their slave.

To use them when it actually is productive not to oust otherwise productive activities because checking email is intellectually simpler and more stimulating.

So next time you find yourself checking email more than two times per day or whipping out your Blackberry in a cab to check Twitter. Think to yourself if this really is the optimum use of your time.

So how about you? Have you managed to tame your tools and use them really productively?

Ian Brodie is a Marketing Coach and Speaker who helps consultants, coaches and other professionals attract and win more clients. To discover the secrets of how to attract and win more clients your business. Get free access to his Client Breakthrough Report and Video Training and learn how to Get More Clients in Less Time.

Some people are just born with computer skills. They can spend hours in front of the screen without feeling the time passing by. Well, I am not one of them. I have always enjoyed traveling, meeting people personally, talking to them. Of course, these days it is impossible not to use a lot of technology every day, but I tried to do without it as much as I could.

My company decided we all needed to organize our time better. I’m sure a lot of people were slacking on the job, but I sure wasn’t. Besides the laptop and company phone all employees were given when they were hired, the company decided to give us something else, as well. It was a small device, and I must confess I had no idea how that was supposed to help us organize our time better.

They showed us how to use it, and they told us it was necessary to note everything down in it, from contacts to appointments. For some, that was easy, but for me, it was a chore, at least until I understood how it worked. Everything seemed simple enough, from that point on. Because I had so many things to do each day, I sometimes forgot to charge it, but I was lucky to find a car charger for it.

That’s how I got my hp ipaq 211 handheld, the gadget that knows everything. Everything we do, I mean, as we have to keep it updated daily, so that the company could check the amount of work each of us does. Due to the HP PDA people started working extra hard. I have always worked really hard, so nothing has changed in my daily schedule.

Actually, this PDA has changed something. My bosses took notice of the hard work I have always done for the company, so I got a promotion. That was something I owe to my iPAQ, just as my new car is owed to it, too.

Some Other Resources: If perhaps you take pleasure in online purchasing, surf to http://ZEBRARUG.US and find out facts related to (a) Zebra Rug.

The majority of homes are fed with a domestic water supply which provides “hard water”. Hard water is simply a designation which is applied to water which has a relatively high level of dissolved minerals in it. The two most important minerals are calcium and magnesium. There is absolutely no health risk associated with hard water - but it can have an impact on both the efficiency and lifespan of domestic appliances.

As a consequence of hard water, mineral deposits can be laid down in water pipes and a range of household appliances. Household appliances which use hot or boiling water are especially at risk as heating the water frees the minerals it contains which then solidify as “scale”. Coffee makers, kettles, steam irons, dishwashers and washing machines are all prone to this effect - as are household central heating systems and boilers.

There are a number of different variables which influence how much scale is generated. The temperature of the water is one of the strongest influencing factors on this process. More scale is produced at higher temperatures. Running dishwashers and washing machines at a lower temperature setting will reduce the amount of scale produced and help to ensure that these appliances continue to operate efficiently and have an extended working life. Using soaps and detergents which have an anti-scaling agent included will also help.

Using a lower water temperature with appliances such as steam irons, kettles and coffee makers isn’t very practical. Some kettles come with filters built in these days, which can prevent or reduce the incursion of harmful minerals (as well as improving the taste of hot drinks). Some modern irons incorporate specially designed, removable scale traps which make it easy to wash away any scale under a running tap. Other alternatives include periodically cleaning your appliances with special anti-scale chemicals.

Whilst there is no danger to health as a result of hard water, some people may dislike the taste it results in for either hot drinks or boiled and steamed food. On the other hand, there are those who swear that hard water makes better tasting tea than soft water. It’s a matter of personal taste at the end of the day. If the flavour of your food and drinks isn’t satisfactory, you can always use a water filter. These range from very cheap (but effective) jug filters, to under sink or even whole house filters. These are cheaper than you may think and are really quite simple to install.

It may seem like an inconvenience, but it’s well worth the effort to counter the effects of a hard water supply. In addition to the improved operational efficiency of your domestic appliances, use of the correct detergents and the selection of a lower operating temperature, combined with scale removal from time to time, will save you money by extending the life of your appliances.

Cut out the drudgery of tedious ironing sessions with a Tefal steam generator iron - you’ll be amazed at how much time you can save.

On the face of it, steam generator irons and traditional steam irons appear to be pretty similar. However, steam generator irons have a different construction and a different mode of operation. They use a larger base unit as both water tank and boiler - unlike a traditional steam iron there is no water in the body of the iron itself. Steam generated in the base unit is supplied to the body of the iron via a hollow tube.

As a rule, steam generator irons cost a little bit more than conventional steam irons - but they offer the user a number of advantages. It’s worth taking a few moments to review the important points before you decide which iron is right for you. The main items to consider when making a comparison of different steam generator irons are the steam pressure, the water reservoir capacity, the soleplate, ease of cleaning and overall usability.

PRESSURE OF STEAM: The steam drives moisture and heat into the fabric of the garment being ironed. This makes it easier to remove wrinkles and creases as it causes the fabric to become more flexible. The higher the steam pressure is, the deeper it is driven into the fabric and the better the finished results are.

Steam generator irons usually have their output quoted in grams of steam per minute. The higher the number, the more steam is produced and the easier it is to iron. Typical values range from 70 to 140 grams per minute (g/min).

You will also see some irons with their steam pressure quoted in bar. Again, the higher this number is, the more steam that will be produced and the better the finished results will be.

WATER RESERVOIR SIZE: Steam generator irons normally have a generously sized water tank. This means that you will be able to do a fair bit of ironing before you need to top up the water. The exact duration will vary based upon the type of fabric being ironed - but you should get a couple of hours of ironing out of a 1.4 litre tank.

If you do a good deal of ironing then you may wish to consider getting one of the larger tanks available. If you have an ironing board which is relatively small, then you might want to make sure that the tube which connects the reservoir to the iron is long enough for you to work with the base unit positioned on the floor rather than on the ironing board itself.

It’s also worth considering how easy it is to fill the reservoir. Many of the better steam generator irons have removable reservoirs to make filling easier. It’s a lot better than messing around with jugs of water. Some also have the facility to top up the reservoir even when the iron is in use - which avoids you having to disconnect it and then wait for it to heat up again after filling.

THE SOLEPLATE: The soleplate of the iron should glide smoothly over the surface of a range of different fabrics - whilst still generating enough friction to remove any wrinkles and creases. It should be durable, tough, scratch resistant and easy to clean. Soleplates with ceramic coatings are widely used these days and are a good option.

EASE OF CLEANING: The majority of modern irons, whether steam generator irons or conventional steam irons, use ordinary tap water. Depending upon where you live, this will typically contain a variety of different minerals - including both calcium and magnesium. This can result in scale deposits as the water is heated and evaporates.

If your house is in a hard water area, then you will definitely want to go for an iron which has some type of anti-scale system. Some iron use a special detachable anti-scale cartridge - others use water to loosen the scale and then flush it out.

USABILITY: As already discussed, you may find it preferable for your iron to be positioned on the floor rather than on the board - which needs a long enough hose connection.

Most people will find a removable water tank to be a convenient feature.

Other features, which you may or may not find appealing, include automatically rewinding power cords, fast heat up systems, easy clean soleplates etc.

SUMMARY: Be sure to choose a high enough steam pressure for your requirements. Select a water reservoir which is large enough so that you don’t need to keep stopping in order to top it up. Ensure that the soleplate is of a suitable material and design. If you live in a hard water area, make sure that some anti-scaling system is incorporated.

Cut out the drudgery of long ironing sessions with a Tefal steam generator iron - you’ll be amazed at how much time you can free up.

Are you one of the many people who likes kitchen gadgets? Most people who cook are very fond of or even hooked on kitchen gadgets. Naturally, some kitchen gadgets are more helpful than others and some are positively indispensable.Who could do without a cooker, a kettle or a coffee maker? Mixers and blenders are popular items too and electric tin openers and knife sharpeners can be found in many kitchens. How much cooking would you be able to do if the electricity was cut off?

People have always loved labour-saving devices, the only aspect that has changed is that the majority of the modern kitchen gadgets are electric these days. We had a water-driven potato peeler when I was a child. It was connected to the tap by a hose and the water drove a wheel which span an abrasive wheel which took the skin off a pound or two of potatoes.

We also had a hand apple corer and a garlic press, but that all. On the other hand, our kitchen has several electric gadgets, including a juicer, a rice cooker and a bread-making machine.

My wife’s favourite kitchen device is the rice cooker, but then she is Thai and eats quite a bit of rice. In deed, the rice cooker is only turned off to wash and refill it. It leaves a lovely sweet smell in the air which is not dissimilar to fresh bead, if you cook Jasmin rice, which is Thailand’s best.

When I lived in Britain, my kitchen was full of labour-saving devices, but some of the items I used to use only once a month over there, I now see being used every day. For example, I had a wok and a bamboo steamer which I used once in a blue moon, now all my food is cooked either in a wok, in a bamboo steamer or on a barbecue.

Similarly, I had a pestle and mortar which looked good on the top of the cupboard. It gave the impression that I was a real cook, but I never truly found a use for it. Now my wife uses a massive granite pestle and mortar to prepare every meal. It weighs approximately ten pounds and is large enough to mix a cake in; the broad end of the pestle will fill half an orange (I use that as a juicer, that is how I know).

My favourite kitchen gadget is the bread maker, but then I am European and am very partial to bread. Where I live though, in northern rural Thailand, the bread is quite sweet by Western standards and took me a few years to get used to. Now I can make my own and I really like it, although getting strong flour is not so easy.

I like to put the ingredients in the bread machine before I go to bed and set the timer so that the bread is cooked when I wake up. You do not require an alarm clock with the smell of fresh bread emanating from the kitchen! Now all I miss is cheese, but I have not seen a cheese-maker yet.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on quite a few subjects, but is at present concerned with solid fuel cookers. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Electric Freestanding Cooker.