metaViper

Some of the biggest frustrations in life are caused by forgetfulness. “I forgot the name of that place” or “I told that guy I’d call him back about the job offer yesterday, what was his name!”. A good way to handle this is by taking notes, but sometimes paper and pen aren’t readily available. If you’re like most people though, a cell phone or land line is always at your side.

Meet Jott, a service that translates your spoken word into text over the phone. It can then transmit that text via e-mail or text message to you, or to any recipient you specify. Just call the Jott phone number (toll free number for now) and instruct the system what to do with voice commands. It’s a great way to broadcast information to your intended recipients without forcing them to engage in a conversation.

I found that most of the translations of my voice into text were 80-90% accurate, and that included references to the last names of several contacts. I would like it a little easier to add tags to my voicemails for easy reference later with the built-in search. Overall Jott provides a great way to record thought bytes and review them later.

It’s easy to forget the world exists when staring into a monitor. That’s where all the attention goes, and what focuses that attention? The eyes.

After hours of focusing eyes on even the best monitor, strain sets in. That can lead to all sorts of nasty things like headaches, dizziness, and vertigo. The easiest (and cheapest) solution is to build in time away from the computer every day. I know it’s hard, those flickering pixels are a siren’s call, but be strong!

Still here huh? Then let me introduce you to Workrave. It’s free software that prompts the user for periodic microbreaks, which can include stretching eyes, hands, and legs. Coworkers may look at you funny when a sheep pops up on your screen prompting you to bend your fingers in a particular pattern, but isn’t it worth it to preserve those million-dollar digits?

I thought so.

Workrave only prompts as often as it’s configured to. I generally recommend the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes take 20 seconds to look at something at least 20 feet away and do some mild stretching. It helps to focus on an object in the distance so that different muscles in the eyes get some exercise.

In the long run this will make you more productive as your mind stays fresh and extremeties limber.

Sometimes simple is better. If you’re looking for a fast way to send yourself an e-mail at a specific time & day (this is especially important for life or death situations like remembering the milk), forLater.net is the tool for you. No sign-up necessary, just fill in a subject, body text, date, and verify you’re human. That’s it.