Productivity Archives - Make Tech Easier

13 of the Best Free Notion Templates

Sandy Writtenhouse — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 15:25:00 +0000

Notion is a free management tool that allows you to organize personal and professional projects efficiently. With distinct pages for individuals, business owners, freelancers, and others, you can get a jumpstart on most any type of task with free and customizable Notion templates.

1. Aesthetic Home Dashboard

The Aesthetic Home Dashboard is a template that compiles various pages for organizing calendar events, to-do lists, daily routines, tarot card databases, and horoscopes, among others.

It features a documentation block with pages for Weekend Plans, Shows and Movies, and Daily Routines, allowing users to stay updated on their queue of movies and keep track of watched movies.

Other notable features include a music playlist that streams directly from Spotify so that you can link your favorite playlist to your dashboard. It also has a to-do list that differentiates completed tasks from unfinished tasks, a wishlist, and a calendar to view upcoming events.

2. Notion Library

The Read more

DeskIn Remote Desktop Review

Megan Glosson — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 17:25:00 +0000

Have you ever tried giving someone directions on how to fix a tech issue over the phone? It’s time-consuming, frustrating, and often leads to more problems than solutions. This is why many companies have started rolling out remote desktop applications: they let you “take over” and show steps on the other person’s screen in real time.

DeskIn Remote Desktop is just one of many options on the market. But does this app that promises to “fill the gap” where other remote desktop environments fail truly deliver? Let’s find out!

This is a sponsored article made possible by DeskIn. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored.

What Is DeskIn Remote Desktop?

DeskIn Remote Desktop is a useful application that lets you manage devices remotely. Once the software is installed on each device you’d like to access, you can use it to perform various functions, such as installing software, transferring files, or shutting the device down. You can also group multiple devices together to... Read more

8 Tips on How to Make Google Slides Look Good

Princess Angolluan — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 00:25:00 +0000

Expect your audience to not be very impressed if you have a generic Google Slides presentation. They’re used to seeing similar information online, and this makes it difficult for you to get through to them. Deliver your point effectively by learning how to make Google Slides more pleasing to the eye in this guide.

Tip: already have a great-looking presentation? Learn how to extract images from Google Slides or PowerPoint.

How to Make Google Slides Look Good

While the definition of a “good-looking presentation” is very subjective, there are some benchmarks that you can refer to. The following eight tips can improve the appearance of your Google Slides presentation:

1. Choose the Right Slide Layout

Position your photos and text at optimal locations on a slide so that your audience can read and consume the details you’re presenting without hassle. But where are these “optimal locations”? That’s where slide layouts come into play.

When you add a new slide to a Google Slides presentation, you have an option to choose... Read more

How to Use Notion for Project Management

Sandy Writtenhouse — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:25:00 +0000

When you need to manage a project, you want something that provides the features you need to track the project and its tasks from start to finish. If you’re a Notion user and looking to manage your projects, you’re in luck. Notion offers a project management collection to get you started, along with the optional templates you may need for additional project pieces.

Tip: Notion is also a great place to host a wiki.

Use Notion Projects

Notion users were recently introduced to the “new Notion Projects” via email or blog, which explains enhancements to features, templates, and workflows and the use of AI for project management. Notion Projects is set and ready to go with the basics you need to manage your project. This tutorial walks you through how to use this boxed setup to manage your projects.

Get Notion Projects

Head to your Notion workspace, and follow these steps to get the Notion template for Notion Projects, with Projects and Tasks pages.

Select “Templates” at the bottom... Read more

Mylio Photos: Photo Organization for the 21st Century

Phil South — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 17:25:00 +0000

We generate way more photos than we can feasibly view. People used to buy photo albums and organize physical photos into books. Your photos were always portable, carefully arranged and shareable with anyone who could open the book. In the modern age, we have photo apps and cloud storage, but to search and catalog your photos, there’s no really integrated solution that works for everyone. Mylio Photos is hoping to change that.

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by Mylio. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence even when a post is sponsored.

Image Makers

Mylio Photos is a photo cataloging and sharing app that scans all your photos from all your devices and pools them in a central location, a library that can be shared and edited on all your devices. It’s a photo album for the 21st Century.

Putting your photos into the cloud is fine; it’s a... Read more

How to Use VLC as a Video Editor

Sayak Boral — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 10:25:00 +0000

VLC is best known as a popular media player that supports plenty of video and audio formats. But did you know it also has a hidden feature that allows it to be used as a video editor? Whether you have raw camera recordings or a YouTube clip, it’s now possible to directly edit your video files in VLC.

Follow the steps below to start using VLC as a regular video editing tool.

Tip: if you are wondering, here are all the things you can do with VLC.

Video Editing With VLC: Getting Started

There is not much of a learning curve, and you can immediately start working on this after you download the latest VLC version. The only requirement is that you have access to a desktop device, as the mobile versions of VLC don’t support the editing feature.

In Windows, search for VLC and launch it in administrator mode.

Trimming... Read more

How to Create a Custom Style in Microsoft Word and Excel

Sandy Writtenhouse — Sat, 22 Jul 2023 19:25:00 +0000

Whether you’re creating a Word document or Excel spreadsheet, you may use a particular font or cell format to reuse it throughout your document with a click. You can create a custom style, edit it later, and use it in other Word or Excel documents.

How to Create a Custom Font Style in Word

You can create your own font formatting style in Word, using existing text in your document. Before you save it, you can also update the formatting to apply formats like bold or italics, as well as a size or color.

Select the text in your document with the format you want to save. As an example, we are selecting text with bold, italic, and in red color.

Go to the “Home” tab, open the “Styles” menu, and choose “Create a Style.”

The Best Trello Automations to Boost Your Productivity

Sandy Writtenhouse — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 21:25:00 +0000

If you’re looking for a way to speed up your workflow for a project or tasks, automations can be useful tools, especially in Trello. Take a few minutes to set up the automation, then let it take care of the actions, without you needing to lift another finger. Check out these Trello automations to increase your productivity.

Access Automations in Trello

For each of the automations we’re walking through, you’ll head to the same spot in Trello.

Choose “Automation” at the top of the Trello board, near the right side.

Select an automation type from the list. For automations that don’t necessarily fit one of the categories, you can choose what you need from the “Automations” screen later. Simply choose an option.

Use the categories on the left to pick the type... Read more

eM Client Review: Change How You Manage Your Email

Brahm Shank — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 17:25:00 +0000

Whether you are a busy professional, an avid member of the remote workforce, or simply looking to take control of your overflowing email inbox, eM Client is the perfect all-in-one solution that is zero-stress from the first click. I had the opportunity to test eM Client on my Mac, leveraging its robust platform tools to enable new levels of customization, convenience, security, and productivity. To say I was impressed would be an understatement, and I believe I have found the perfect email client to balance my personal and professional life.

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by eM Client. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored.

eM Client at a Glance

eM Client for macOS and Windows enables you to capably manage millions of email messages from your computer with ease. It combines powerful enterprise tools, including granular search options, tracking prevention, built-in language translation, and seamless integration with flagship services, making each feature approachable and effortlessly customizable. You’ll feel in control... Read more

How to Use Conditional Formatting in Microsoft Excel

Sandy Writtenhouse — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 05:25:00 +0000

You don’t have to manually format your data with colors and styles to make it stand out. With conditional formatting in Microsoft Excel, you can automatically format your dataset based on conditions. Plus, Excel gives you five preset conditional formatting options to make this task an easy one.

Note: keep in mind with all the conditional formatting rules below that if you change the cell data, and it no longer meets the criteria, the formatting will be removed.

Highlight Cell Rules

Using rules to highlight cells based on a value, text, or date is probably the most popular type of conditional formatting in Excel. With this option, you can do things like highlight cells with values that are greater than or less than another, text that contains something in particular, a date occurring in a certain time frame, or duplicate values.

Highlight Values

If you’re using values like numbers, currencies, or percentages in your sheet, you can highlight values as they relate to others. You could format sales greater than or inventory less than a given amount.

File Lines Manipulator Review: Stress-Free Text Modification

Alexandra Arici — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:25:00 +0000

Whether you’re a student, teacher, professional, or casual user, the need to organize, modify and manipulate files is a common occurrence. While you can perform these tasks manually, it eats up a lot of valuable time. To solve this, you may be interested in getting a program specifically designed for file manipulation, like File Lines Manipulator. With this tool, tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming and repetitive can be automated or completed with just a few clicks. A file manipulator program also reduces the chances of error. We had the chance to test File Lines Manipulator during our review to see how well it worked.

This is a sponsored article and was made possible by Appsvoid. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored.

Getting Started with File Lines Manipulator

File Lines Manipulator is a lightweight utility (eats up less than 50MB of memory) that installs on your system within minutes. It’s available for Windows 11/10/8/7.

The program features a simple interface that makes... Read more

8 Photo Editors that Use AI to Enhance Your Images

Alexandra Arici — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 21:25:00 +0000

Adding filters to photographs is nothing new. In fact, it’s pretty routine these days. But there has been a wave of artificial intelligence (AI) powering photo and video apps. These tools remake your photos and videos into new images, with some artistic styles inspired by the works of famous artists. This AI alters the look of your photos through algorithms based on machine learning and neural networks, which can use object recognition to recreate an image completely, not just add an overlay to it. This list includes apps with AI that allow you to create works of art from your photos or enhance the originals.

Good to know: alternatively, check out our list of the best free photo-editing apps.

1. Prisma

Price: Free / starting at $8.34 per month

Platforms: Android | iOS

Prisma is a mobile app that creates new artwork based on the photos you upload, by applying various artistic styles. One of its highlights is classic presets inspired by the work of famous painters, such as Thota Valkuntam, Pablo Picasso, and Piet... Read more

How to Create an Email Template in Gmail

Sandy Writtenhouse — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 00:25:00 +0000

If there’s one tool you can use to speed up email creation, it’s a template. When you compose the same email message over and over, you can set up a reusable Gmail template to save time. Then, just swap out small details, like names and dates, as needed. There are two ways to create and use templates in Gmail: one is available to everyone, and the other is available to Google Workspace users. Let’s take a look at how to work with both.

Tip: speed up your email routines by enabling and using Gmail keyboard shortcuts.

How to Create a Gmail Template for Repetitive Messages

You may set up a template for thank you messages or weekly updates. You can also create a template to use as an automated response for customers, clients, or coworkers.

Enable Templates in Gmail

Before you can create a template, you must enable the feature in your Gmail settings. Head to the Gmail site, sign in, and follow these steps.

Select the “Settings” icon (gear) on... Read more

How to Use the What-If Analysis Tools in Microsoft Excel

Sandy Writtenhouse — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 00:25:00 +0000

When you analyze your data in Microsoft Excel, you may want to do some comparisons, such as “What if I choose Option A instead of Option B?” Using the built-in What-If Analysis tools in Excel, you can compare numbers and amounts more easily – for example, to evaluate job salaries, loan options, or revenue and expense scenarios.

The What-If Analysis tools in Excel include the Scenario Manager, Goal Seek, and Data Table. To best explain the purpose of these tools, let’s look at examples of each.

Tip: lean how to remove duplicate and clean up data on Microsoft Excel.

Scenario Manager

Using the Scenario Manager, enter values that you can change to see varying results. As a bonus, create a Scenario Summary Report to compare the amounts or numbers side by side.

For example, say you’re planning an event and deciding between a few themes that have different costs. Set up each theme’s prices to see how much they’ll cost to compare them.

Create various scenarios for different situations to help in your... Read more

How to Use the COUNT Functions in Microsoft Excel

Sandy Writtenhouse — Sat, 08 Jul 2023 19:25:00 +0000

Are there times when you don’t want to calculate the values on your spreadsheet and instead want the total count of items? Using the five COUNT functions in Microsoft Excel, you can count a number of items, total the blank cells, or see how many items meet your criteria. This tutorial looks at each function in detail.

How to Use the COUNT Function

The COUNT function in Excel is one of the most basic of the five functions. Use it to count the number of cells containing values, which is handy for seeing the number of sales, reviews, or numeric grades in your sheet. Note that text is not counted as a value.

The syntax for the formula is COUNT(value1, value2,…), where only the first argument is required. You can enter the range of cells and add up to 255 additional items or cell ranges using the remaining arguments.

For this first example, we’re using the COUNT function via the following formula to total the number of cells containing values in our range B2 through B11:

11 Lesser-Known Google Sheets Functions You Can Use Every Day

Sandy Writtenhouse — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 21:25:00 +0000

Google Sheets has some terrific features that you probably use all the time. But when it comes to functions, there may be several you didn’t know existed. These handy functions and their accompanying formulas help you compare values, get financial data, convert arrays to columns or rows, and more. This list includes 11 lesser-known Google Sheets functions that can help you be more productive.

Tip: these Google Sheets keyboard shortcuts can help you save much time.

1. Compare Values: GT, GTE, LT, LTE, EQ

When you want to compare two values or the values in two different cells, there are five operator functions that make the task easy. Whether you’re comparing sales amounts or expenses over time, these functions have you covered.

The following are the functions with the syntax for each formula, which is the same.

GT (Greater Than): GT(value1, value2)
GTE (Greater Than or Equal To): GTE(value1, value2)
LT (Less Than): LT(value1, value2)
LTE (Less Than or Equal To): LTE(value1, value2)
EQ (Equal... Read more

How to Create a Wiki in Notion

Sandy Writtenhouse — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 00:25:00 +0000

A wiki is the ideal tool for sharing information, files, forms, and a calendar with your team, and Notion makes it effortless to create one. Whether you’re a current Notion user or just getting familiar with the application, you can set up a wiki easily using a template. Notion provides several handy templates for basic and focused wikis, and the Notion Templates gallery gives you even more options. This guide showcases convenient, free templates and their standout features, while also sharing tips and suggestions to help you create a wiki in Notion.

Tip: using Evernote? Learn how to migrate your notes from Evernote to Notion.

Use a Notion Wiki Template

The best place to start is with Notion’s wiki templates. You can choose from four different options, from basic to a specific industry focus.

To view and use one of the templates below, head to Notion and sign in. Select “Templates” on the left, then choose “Wiki “from the drop-down list.

Read more

7 Automations to Increase Your Daily Productivity

Sandy Writtenhouse — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:25:00 +0000

When you think of all the tasks you perform in a day, how many of them could be automated? Rather than spending time on tedious tasks, you can save time and focus on more important things by setting up a handful of automation.

From managing emails to tasks to your team, let’s look at several automations that can increase your productivity each and every day.

1. Manage Emails With Ease

If there’s one thing that takes up time, it’s emails. Checking your inbox, replying to messages, composing new emails, and keeping it all organized is a time-consuming process. But, with an automation or two, you can regain some of your precious time for other tasks.

Let’s look at a few ways to automate email management using two popular tools, Microsoft Outlook and Gmail.

Set Up Rules or Filters to Move, Mark, or Label

Did you know that you can automatically take actions on emails you receive in Outlook and Gmail? Move messages to certain folders, mark emails as read or important, or tag messages... Read more

How to Use Headers and Footers in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Sandy Writtenhouse — Sat, 24 Jun 2023 00:25:00 +0000

When you want to include details in your document, spreadsheet, or slideshow, yet not distract from the content or take up space, you can use headers and footers. These spots are ideal for things like page numbers or the date, but can accommodate other details as well. This guide walks you through inserting headers and footers and customizing them in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Tip: add a table of contents to long Word documents to make them easier to navigate.

Headers and Footers in Word

Microsoft Word offers the healthiest number of detail options for your headers and footers. From basics to document properties to text or an image, you can add most anything you need.

Add a Header or Footer in Word

You have a couple of options for adding a header or footer in Word. You can choose a preset created by Microsoft or create your own custom header or footer.

Insert a Preset Header or Footer

Using a preset header or footer, you can quickly... Read more

12 Free Notion Templates for Students

Sandy Writtenhouse — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 21:25:00 +0000

Being a student isn’t easy. Along with attending classes, completing assignments, and taking exams, there is research, review, and studying to do. To help you organize everything you need, check out these free Notion templates for students.

Getting the Notion Templates

Before you review the list of templates, take a quick peek at how easy it is to grab the one you want.

Notion Templates

If you select a Notion template, open the sidebar on the left of your workspace and select “Templates.” On the next screen, choose the template name in the appropriate section and click “Get template.” You’ll find the template in your Notion sidebar.

Notion Gallery Templates

If you choose a Notion Gallery template, access the template page with the link below. Select your Notion workspace name and click “Duplicate template.” You’ll see the template in your workspace sidebar.

Third-Party Notion Templates

If you choose a template from a third-party website, use its link to access the template, then follow the on-screen instructions... Read more