Many of us are spending time trying out Google+, and I’ve seen some interesting conversations along the lines of “Oh no, yet another network to build up and manage.”  Personally I like Google+, and I’ve barely scratched the surface.  It’s been my main news feed for Georgia Tech’s football troubles.  Sigh!

All these new services beg the question of general workflow during the day, so I’ve decided to share mine.

Hardware components:

Mac laptop, iPad, Android phone, iPhone, digital camera, slide rules, hp all-in-one wifi printer that only does 3 of 4 and even the hp employees on the help sites can’t explain, cable modem, wifi router, plus chargers and cables for all the above (except slide rules)

Primary software components:

Microsoft Office for Mac, excluding Outlook, since I’ve now standardized on the Mac Mail client and the Mac Address Book, except for the Android where I have a separate Google contact database manually synchronized as needed, Evernote (used in nearly every meeting and one of my favorites because it syncs across all devices), and Google Calendar, also automatically synchronized across all devices, Safari, Firefox

Social networks:

Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Namesake, Quora, LinkedIn

Here then is the typical daily workflow:

Turn on iPad to read Wall St Journal, then computer to read email and dispose of about 250 overnight spam messages that have been conveniently filtered out for me.

But wait, this morning I had no Internet at home, all lights blinking OK, had to reboot cable modem and then router, modem must have burped overnight, problem solved.  I’ve come to expect some routine maintenance like this every day.

Look at iPhone and Droid for any notifications and messages.

But wait, a bunch of apps need updating, so I have to start those rolling.

Computer also finds “critical updates,” so work halts while I restart and install those, which often takes a while.

Decide to sync iPad with computer to pick up some Address Book changes.

But wait again, OS update for iPad.   Have to download, after first insuring all iTunes purchases properly transferred, and then install.

Oh, and then there are some app updates for the iPad as well.

Deal with and answer the real emails intended for me. 

Notice in emails that I have a couple of bills coming due, decide to pay online, have to crank up Firefox because legacy systems will often get about halfway through a process on Safari then lock up when it’s time to push the “submit” button.

Now time for a quick look into social networks.  Check Sparks on G+ and add people to Circles, bounce over to Twitter to follow golfers and Formula One drivers, jump into a couple of quick conversations on Namesake, check on latest on Quora questions I am following, but not enough interest there to write essay-length answers that are preferred, respond to some Facebook comments, defer request on Linkedin for an introduction to someone who is in my network but I have no recollection of meeting, and respond to a few new followers on all sites.

It’s now time for lunch, but I have taken full advantage of all of my productivity tools and am ready to charge ahead with the day.  I don’t know how we managed to get anything done before we had all this convenience!

<photo: my teaching slide rule on the mantle>