7 Essential iGoogle Gadgets for Managers
Recently I started using iGoogle, a personalized Google portal similar to PageFlakes and others I’ve tried in the past. I wasn’t sure how useful this could be to me as a manager, probably because I never took the time to play with these pages…until now.
Before I share what I’m using, you’ll need to sign up for a free iGoogle page. Come back here when you’re done to read the rest of the article.
[90 seconds pass]
Welcome back! So what am I using, and how are they useful? I present to you:
7 Essential iGoogle Gadgets for Managers
- First, you’ve got to have a great to do list. Whether it’s scheduling mid-year reviews, creating a daily task list, or whatever, you need to know what you need to do in order to do it.
- Next you’ll need to add access to your Google documents & spreadsheets, to bring back those items you were working on over the weekend or at night that you need to bring into the office. Nothing confidential of course, but probably a few things like articles to share with your team, books to discuss at a weekly meeting, or ideas on how to be more productive.
- And of course, with all those documents, you’ll need the Document to PDF gadget, in case your firm won’t spend the money on a PDF creator for you to share those documents you don’t want others to modify.
- How about your Google calendar, filled with those after work meetings you’re attending to become a more well-rounded, productive member of society?
- Before you send a document out filled with typos, or the same word used again and again, add the Dictionary.com gadget, to spell the words you use correctly AND come up with great alternatives to commonly used words (called a thesaurus, if you’re following along at home)
- Let’s not forget a digital alarm clock, just in case your meeting reminders aren’t working (or that you forgot to open your calendaring program first thing in the morning like I’ve done a few times)
- And if you hate all of mine, why not make your own gadget, and share it with all of us reading Slacker Manager? Remember: all of us are smarter than one of us.
So that’s your challenge today. Think about what your iGoogle gadget favorites are, or make your own. Share them here, and we’ll do a round-up of the best next week.
[Phil Gerbyshak is one half of the Slacker Manager team, along with David Zinger, and is the author of the book 10 Ways to Make It Great! He enjoys working smarter, not harder, and encourages you to do the same. Also, Phil would like to give a tip of the hat to Web Worker Daily for the idea to share my gadgets, as Leo Baubata shared 15 great gadgets he uses.]
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POSTED IN: management hack, productivity
3 opinions for 7 Essential iGoogle Gadgets for Managers
David Zinger
Sep 10, 2007 at 5:49 am
Thanks Phil between your recommendations and Leo Baubata I now feel like inspector Gadget.
Steve Roesler
Sep 10, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Hi, Phil,
I kind of like the idea of limited lines on the to-do list.
Kind of makes you think about what you really have to do.
Phil Gerbyshak
Sep 13, 2007 at 8:01 pm
David - You ARE Inspector Gadget. I’ve seen the pictures to prove it! You’re welcome too :)
Steve - Yeah, that limited to-do list can really help get MORE done, not less. Interesting how that works, huh?