Managing our workflow has become an ever challenging aspect of our daily workday. Workflow efficiency is espoused upon constantly by business leaders as an integral part of having good management tools. Whether you work from home or in a workspace in an office, having optimized workflow will not only help advance your career, but it will also increase productivity and reduce inefficiencies. We all know that human error will occur at times, but by not just maintaining existing workflows, but constantly looking to improve on them will cut down on the need to waste time.
If your current workflow offers less time to complete tasks and current process, than you definitely want to focus on several key metrics to improve your business processes. These can range from having a top notch management software, to increasing focus allowing for better decision making and reduction of slack. This will also help in real time as you are faced with repetitive tasks. If you don’t properly deal with repetitive tasks from your workflow management they could end up as bottlenecks as you attempt to streamline your tasks and have improved workflow.
We are going to explore items to put on your to do list (or purchase list), that will assist with automation of your workflow. By creating a streamlined workflow and leaving management and stakeholders in the company you work for heaping praise upon you, a potential promotion may be in store for you. As you continue to utilize workflow management tools (baked into many new computers), improve on involving team members with good communication tools, back and forth messaging, the demeanor and mood of your team collaboration should be a boost for employees.
Further utilizing project management tools and automation tools, will help you increase your functionality as your multitasking goes to a whole new level. These may be directed to you by your company’s management to utilize specific collaboration tools and workflow automation, giving you.. the employee a jump on improving your workflow processes.
Computers
We have compiled a list of some items and tools which will help you create an efficient workflow without the requirement of having extreme tech know how.
One of the first items we always recommend to someone looking to improve their workflow and create an ease of use environment in their business processes, is having the right computer. We need look no further than the wonderful lineup of Surface Laptops and tablets from Microsoft. A great example of a crucial technological part of improving integrations with apps, Microsoft Docs and timely notifications. One particular laptop which stands out is the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 12.4″ Intel i5-1235U 8GB/256GB Touchscreen.
This particular laptop contains some of the best specs found in the surface lineup at this price point.
- The Surface Laptop Go 3 enhances your productivity and workflow with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU processor.
- With 15 hours of battery life offered by this laptop, you have plenty of usage time in between charges. The laptop can be fast charged as well via the USB-C port and the included 36 Watt charging Brick.
- A nicely sized 256GB SSD (Solid State Drive) handles most if not all the storage you will need. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, the templates in Microsoft Docs like Word and Excel are great for all types of uses and an additional 1TB of cloud storage via Microsoft One Drive is available as well. Microsoft offers different pricing structures for each of their 365 tiers.
- Built with Windows 11 which has been designed to operate in the most efficient manner, with it’s 12.4” PixelSense touchscreen with a 3:2 aspect ratio and 320 nits of brightness. It is a great update over Windows 10 with your display shining with great color vibrancy and picture reproduction.
- Included Intel Iris XE graphics card provided for the laptop’s GPU for top notch graphics. This is great if you are an architect using AutoCAD or a graphic designer. The GPU can always be upgraded if desired. The AOG RTX lineup of GPUs are a nice upgrade if desired and can help with your overall workflow especially in these industries.
- Windows Defender antivirus and protection scanner and other security measures are in place to safeguard your content. The Fingerprint Power Button with Windows Hello and One Touch sign-in is a great way to set up profiles and increase security to access the laptop. You can set up profiles for each of your team members.
- Dolby Digital Audio provides the immersive sound with multi directional omnisonic technology.
- The HD camera on from facing webcam with a 720P resolution auto-adjusts to scene lighting and captures accurate skin tones. Great for team collaboration with the built-in Studio Mics, you come through on calls, conferences, webinars and Video Chats, loud and clear.
- Sync your phone and your PC with Microsoft Phone Link, available on Android and iOS. The app can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
- You can connect the laptop or tablet to a Microsoft Surface HUB, which allows for more ports including display ports if you want to use multiple displays. This will improve functionality, workflow efficiency taking your multitasking to the next level.
- Also included are Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi AX and Bluetooth 5.1.
- The new AI reinvented search geared towards maximizing efficiency and workflow processes is also present on the new Surface Laptop Go 3. The AI will assist with interactive chat and content generation at your command.
- The new AI workflow automation technology, also integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Apps like Edge, Word, Power Point etc.
Another fantastic laptop which is sure to improve your workflow processes is the LG gram 17ZB90R 17″ Lightweight Laptop, Intel i5-1340P, 16GB RAM/512GB SSD. Here are some of the features we love about this laptop and how it will prove your daily workflow:
- Built with Windows 11 which has been designed to operate in the most efficient manner to increase productivity and reduce inefficiencies in your workflow.
- Included Intel Iris XE graphics card provided and 13th generation Intel EVO processor, you can expect improved performance, better multitasking and a marked improvement as you increase productivity.
- A non reflective 17” screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio that can your workday so much easier and more efficient, as the size of the display allows you to concentrate for longer periods of time with less eye strain.
- Attach and link your smartphone or tablet with the Intel Unison technology. Whether it’s messaging, calling, or receiving notifications, you can expect a seamless connection between your laptop to your other devices for ease of use and more real time notifications without having to take your eyes away from the laptop.
- Want to improve team collaboration in your workflow then the HD web camera paired with dual microphones on this laptop will be a huge boon for you. You will be heard clearly by the participants in your webcam call reducing inefficiencies in the relaying of business processes and other topics of your conference call.
- With a superbly large 80Wh battery, you can get all the battery life you need even while on the go and not near a charging port. Therefore hopefully there should be no lags in your productivity.
- Connectivity is abound provided by a dual band Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi AX wireless card including two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 ports, an HDMI port, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and several memory card storage options. With these great features, you can expect quite an increase in productivity, improved functionality and an optimized workflow.
Monitor
When it comes to laptops, computers and tablets, if you really want an improved workflow as part of your repertoire, you need a great monitor to pair with your device. Having a good monitor lets your concentrate on your work in a more efficient manner, thus reducing human error and inefficiencies. We have always loved curved monitors for work, especially for their immersive experience and our recommendation today is no different.
Take a gander at the Deco Gear 27″ 2560×1440 Color Accurate VA Curved Monitor. With it’s heavily discounted pricing, this monitor is a no brainer as a cost effective way to improve you workflow.
This monitor has a large and immersive 27 inch display, and can accurately display16.7 million colors and 99% sRGB. This is great for color matching for print and graphic design, take note professional architects and graphic designers. It also has a high-resolution 2550 x 1440 panel with a speedy 144 Hz refresh rate. This will reduce blur, distortion and even help with lag between your device and the monitor. So not only is this a great choice to improve your workflow, but its great for gaming as well.
Combined with a comfortable R1500 curvature coupled with low blue light emissions and adjustable color temperatures, your workflow should show immediate improvement as you reduce eye strain and fatigue with this monitor.
Additional Workflow Improvement Gear
There are other items and gear which can take your workflow to the next level. Let’s take a look at some of these and how they would impact your workday.
One of the questions which are constantly posed to us is what items can make our workflow better? Are there accessories designed for this? Good news, the answer is yes. So what type of items can you use to create an optimized workflow with less distractions and inefficiencies?
Earbuds: When using your laptop, PC, tablet or smartphone having a good pair of noise cancelling earbuds like the LG Tone FP5 Wireless Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds with Meridian Audio can highlight your workflow efficiency, increase productivity and improve your workflow processes. By being able to tune out ambient outside noise, your concentration level on team collaboration calls will also show a vast improvement.
Add these comfortable earbuds with ear tip options designed to create what is called that “perfect seal” with your ear canal, and not only will your noise cancellation improve but the clarity of music and voice calls will also be of benefit to your daily workload.
With it’s sound made by Meridian Technologies, the Hi-Fi Sound with a Realistic Sense of Space has a wonderful equalizer allowing you to easily adjust the impressive bass and treble tones that these earbuds produce. Finding that sweet spot for you in your listening experience just got that much easier and you won’t have to waste time working on this aspect of the earbuds as much.
Printers: Add the Canon PIXMA TR4720 Wireless All-in-One Printer (Black) to your workspace for increased functionality with printing, copying and scanning capabilities. You can even fax still with this printer. Download the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app for an easy set up process. An easy to load front paper tray with 100-sheet plain paper capacity allow for less frequent paper refill needs improving your productivity. Feel free to use the Auto Document Feeder for easy two sided scanning or copying of existing docs and watch as this great all in one printer improves your workflow efficiency. Print directly from your iOS or Android device without drivers or apps using AirPrint for Apple devices and Mopria Print Service for Android devices. With the built-in Wi-Fi on the printer, expect for improved workflow efficiency. This printer makes for a great workflow management tool.
Memory Cards: Lexar Memory Cards offer some of the best in class performance of any memory cards on the market today. Whether you are looking for high read speeds and write speeds, a high capacity card, top video speed class and the right amount of storage capacity you will need, there is the correct memory card for you. With a top notch Lexar memory card providing superb read/write speeds and large storage options, you can expect a boost in your workday almost immediately. There is a newer type of memory card called the CFexpress which Lexar makes and can provide an even more optimized workflow due to it’s capabilities. This is a super speed card which differs from your standard SD card with higher rated video performance and some of the fastest read/write speeds you can find. Just pop one into your laptop or PC and watch as your current workflow becomes that much easier and speedier, which means less time wasted and more time productive.
Let’s Get to Work!
To conclude, as we all are trying to get ahead in our careers, whatever they may be, an improved workflow is crucial to accomplishing that goal. Don’t let repetitive tasks waste time in your workday, utilize the recommended items from laptops to memory cards. Doing that will allow for greater functionality on your part, a nice pat on the back and performance review from your boss as they see real-time improvement in your workflow efficiency.
To conclude, these are great items and tips for entrepreneurs and business owners as well as employees. So don’t delay get the new year off on the right foot with a resolution to improve your workflow.
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