How can you save more time? Automate many of your online business tasks with an application called IFTTT.
Short for “If This Then That,” IFTTT is a web-based service that lets you create conditions where one action can lead to another action.
It’s handy for routine online work as well as social media, especially for those who use several different social media networks but don’t always have time to post to each of them.
For example: What happens if you take a photo – does it get posted on Facebook? Tweeted? Put in Dropbox? Use an IFTTT recipe to do all of those automatically!
A recipe is just that, a formula or set of ingredients that you mix (connect) and you end up with a great time saving tool that automates a task.
It’s simple to put together recipes and actions. In fact, many you don't have to create at all but can use what others have created.
You can browse through hundreds of pre-created recipes for shortcuts to everyday activities, or create your own.
For those interested in the potential of IFTTT, and want to save time by automating tasks, here are some popular recipes.
Contacts - If you have an iPhone or iPad, when you add new contacts, you can have them sent to a note you’ve created in Evernote.
Evernote is the popular app that lets you organize your research, lists, and checklists. IFTTT Contact Recipe
Photos - If you take photos with your iPhone, you can have the photos automatically go to your Dropbox account.
This is handy if you use different devices throughout the day – instead of being only on your smartphone, the Dropbox photos can be accessible from computer or online. IFTTT iPhone Photo Recipe
Favorites - If you ‘favorite’ a Tweet (or someone favorites one of yours), that message can automatically be posted by you to your LinkedIn updates. IFTTT Favorites Recipe
Leave a message - If you want to give yourself extra reminders about important appointments and other upcoming life events, leave yourself a voice message that includes times, places and other details.
The message can be automatically added as an event to whatever electronic schedule you keep. Leave a Message IFTTT Recipe
Get a text transcript of a voice message - Even better, give yourself an additional reminder via the ability to give yourself an actual verbal and written reminder.
If you call an IFTTT number, your voice greeting/memo/question will be converted to a mp3 file plus you'll be provided with a text transcript of the call via email. Transcript of Voice Message IFTTT Recipe
Welcome home! - You can set your phone’s geographic/location settings to create a “Welcome” message for whenever it registers you're arriving at a certain destination.
This can be handy as a reminder to take out the trash or to turn up the heat! Arrival IFTTT Recipe
Slap it on - If your device’s weather/temperature app detects a certain heat /ultraviolet index, (usually at least 6-7), it can send you a reminder to apply sunscreen before heading out the door.
This works much better than trying to remember yourself. IFTTT Slap on Sunscreen Recipe
Keep it quiet - How often have you forgotten to silence your phone when you get to work, and then it rings? Or if you miss a call because it’s on mute and not vibrate?
Here you can create a task where if your phone detects your location is “work,” it will automatically change your phone’s volume setting to something quieter. Keep Phone Quiet IFTTT Recipe
Make it loud - If you use the preceding recipe, it makes sense to program the reverse – you can program your device so if your device detects you leaving work, or arriving at “Home,” the mute, or vibrate setting can be turned off, and your phone set to a higher volume level. Turn on Phone Volume IFTTT Recipe
How about that for some time saving automation tools? All free of charge! Go over to www.ifttt.com to explore more. Set them up once, and then start saving time!
