Productivity: Multitasking? Don't Mix Your Google Accounts!

When you want to be productive, you want to move FAST! One of the things that can help you  move fast is if your tech is set up to support your pace. 

That is why, for Google Workspace users my first and foremost tip is to sort out:

• their Chrome browser,
• their Chrome profiles, and
• their (usually) multiple Google Accounts.

What do I mean by that? Many Google Workspace users signed up for this business version of Google Accounts because they had previous experience with their Gmail-based Google Account(s). Or the company they work for might be running on the Google infrastructure. This means that they are likely to have at least 1-2 Gmails (one of the types of a Google Account) in addition to their work-related Google Accounts.

When you use multiple Gmails or Google Workspace accounts (collectively called Google Accounts), it's easy to get confused about which one you are signed into. Add to that a couple of non-Google, 3rd-party tools with single sign-on, which, in addition, can give you trouble sorting out which Google Account you meant to access them from… resulting in files landing in the wrong account, causing you to search for them in vain in the account the files were meant to be in… or giving you error messages when you know you should have access... You may be looking at a great big tangle of accounts that would make anyone's head spin and inspire an abundance of curse words. Sound familiar?

Tips for end-users and small businesses:

💎 KloudGem 1:

Take a deep breath, and on your laptop/desktop:

1. If you notice a tangle, click your Gmail's avatar, and see how many other accounts you have added under there. Make sure you have the correct passwords for each, and sign out of all. And only sign back into one of them. For example, pick the one you use most often.

2. For each of your Google Accounts, create a different Chrome profile (from your Chrome avatar in the top right corner). (Each Chrome profile is like a whole new instance of Chrome, independent from the others you might have.) Important: Only use one Google Account per Chrome profile. This way, you can tell them apart. Do not be tempted to Add another account into your Gmail.

💎 KloudGem 2:

• In each Chrome profile, make sure you have your settings set to continue where you left off if your browser has to restart or your computer crashes.

• You can pin tabs (right click) or collect tabs into a Group (also right click) to organize your work.

• You can search your open tabs across all windows of a Chrome profile (from the triangle dropdown in the top right of your browser).

• Like to bookmark things? Did you know that instead of digging through folders and folders of bookmarks you can search among them?

❓ Do you have a favorite tip among these? Leave a Comment for me. Or feel free to share what methods work for you to stay productive and not waste time fighting the tech gods.

💎 KloudGem 3:

All set on your laptop/desktop? Now, let's take a moment for your mobile devices: Add your separate Google Accounts to your phone or tablet and wherever else you may need to access them. When you create files, Calendar events, or you save files on your mobile device(s), make sure you save them into the correct account; it's a bit easier to make a mistake on the mobile interfaces.

Tips for mid-size companies and large enterprises:

💎 KloudGem 4:

Take time to train your users in:

• Not mixing personal and work accounts on their computers.

• If they absolutely have to have both personal and work accounts open on their computers, teach them how to keep the accounts well separated.

Your users, your IT department, and your Legal department will thank you later.

Need help with Google Workspace? Contact me for a free first consult: https://www.kloudgem.com/get-in-touch/contact  

KloudGem tips: https://www.kloudgem.com/follow-resources/newsletter 

Productivity!

Productivity. It's a word we aspire to every day in our work. It's all about the race of doing more in less time. We evaluate our days by its terms: It was a productive day! or It was an utterly unproductive day…

We buy tools that claim to increase our productivity. However, a productivity tool in and of itself may not increase our productivity. What increases our productivity is our approach to the tools: the processes we follow using the features that work for us.

Google Workspace is a collection of productivity tools, yet what causes you to be productive using them is the process you design utilizing their features. And that process can vary from person to person. Features that make one person insanely productive may not move the needle for another. You need to find what works for you.

In this next series, over the coming weeks, I'll help you explore productivity tricks and let you evaluate which ones move the needle for you.

We will look at each of the tools, explore their features and how they connect, and highlight the possibilities they can bring to you for a productive day.

😎 Leave a Comment to share your favorite productivity tricks each week.

Need help with Google Workspace? Contact me for a free first consult: https://www.kloudgem.com/get-in-touch/contact 

KloudGem tips: https://www.kloudgem.com/follow-resources/newsletter 

3, 2, 1, Action!

Well, hello again after a bit of a summer break!

As our world turned upside down with the pandemic last year and remote meetings took over our lives, probably one of the most common sentences we uttered over the past year has been "Can you hear me?" followed closely by "I can only see the top of your head!"

This week we look at a useful little feature that got rolled out in Google Meet that can help you be more confident going into video calls by allowing you to test your audio and video ahead of joining the call! Here is where to find it and how it works:

Before a meeting in which you want to make a strong impression right from the start, get ready to join ahead of time, to give yourself a couple of minutes to make adjustments.

When you click on the meeting link in the calendar invite, you get to a green room or waiting area before you click to join the meeting. In this area, look for a button in the lower left corner that says Check your audio and video.

When you click the button, you get taken to an area that allows you to record a very short video. Google can analyze that video for you to make sure everything's working and your connection is stable, and you can play it back so you get to see and hear first-hand how you will look and sound in the call. 

You can make any adjustments needed before entering the actual meeting. You can even re-record your test.

Tips for end-users and small businesses:

💎 KloudGem 1:

Do take some time before any high-stakes meetings to go through these checks to make sure that you will be the star of the show and won't be undercut by any random computer glitches.

Tips for mid-size companies and large enterprises:

💎 KloudGem 2:

Introduce your users to this feature so that especially large presentations go smoothly, without audio/video issues. I am happy to help: Contact me for a free first consult: https://www.kloudgem.com/get-in-touch/contact  

❓ QUESTION:

Do you prefer these quick tips, OR the series (like the 6 Must-Have Tools to Start Your Business)? Leave me a Comment to let me know so I can tailor the information to what's most helpful to you.

Do you know someone who could use these KloudGem tips? Feel free to send them this link: https://www.kloudgem.com/follow-resources/newsletter

KloudGem website: https://www.kloudgem.com