Technology is a huge part of our modern-day lives, and it’s easy to forget that technology was meant to serve us and make our lives easier, not the other way around. Today we talk with Rick Stawarz about how to make technology work for us, not get in the way, and automate tasks we don’t want to do. We also chat about technology and children, and the decisions we make about technology in our lives.

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Cheat Sheet

The origin story of Rick's business, Appinstructor

What his time working at the Apple store taught him about tech support and how it led to him starting his own consulting business

How Rick teaches people to solve technology problems for themselves and why he finds it so personally fulfilling

How to embrace the proper role of technology in your life and make it work for you

Examples of ways that technology can enhance our lives (as well as some negative ways it can impact us if we're not careful)

How you can figure out what technology-based use cases can be valuable and time-saving for you

Recommended tools for automating email tasks

How to use Slack effectively as a middle world between email and text messaging

How to safely implement technology with a family and kids (and tools you can use to establish boundaries and safe zones within your home)

How technology (when used correctly) can help accelerate your goal achievement

Links

Appinstructor

TPS47: 13 Productive Parenting Hacks

TPS34: Developing an IT Mindset w/ Scotty Loveless

Polymail

Google Inbox

Outlook

Airmail

HipChat

Slack

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Book, tool, ritual

Book: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

Tool: Curbi, parental controls for mobile devices

Ritual: Not using an iPhone as an alarm clock, keeping all technology out of the bedroom at night.

Connect with Rick Stawarz

@stwrz

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