Think your tablet is only useful for your favorite Youtube videos, social media updates, or handheld gaming? Think again. Since their introduction, tablets have been synonymous with entertainment but, when properly incorporated into your business, they can boost productivity and help your business thrive. For SMBs, adapting tablets into your work environment can even open up new business opportunities.
You already know that tablets are flexible in use, portable, and make great devices for entertainment. But you can make your tablet contribute much more to your business practices too; it’s just a matter of selecting the right applications and accessories to get the job done. Here are some strategies to turn your tablet into a powerful productivity tool.
Out with the games
Yes, we use tablets to play games. From typical Angry Birds to Valve’s Portal series, there are so many fun games to play. However, for the sake of your business, you need to get rid of all such distractions from your work tablet. Burying the games in folders won’t help when you know they’re there. So if you don’t want to be tempted to play a game instead of working, delete the game. Sure, solving puzzles with portals and physics is fun, but you should do so only once work is done. After you accomplish your business goals, you can celebrate your huge success with a slice of cake, and then kick back to enjoy some entertainment. With all the work you get done, it will be hard for your boss to overstate his or her satisfaction. “This is a triumph!” he or she will exclaim.
In with the work-friendly apps
The pre-installed apps such as calendar, calculator, email, clock/timer are all useful tools you’ll want to have at hand. These are great for quick information checking. But your tablet has the potential to do more than telling you the time or helping with numbers. Just head over to the app store, browse through over a million available apps and take your pick. Here are a few popular ones to get you started:
•Dropbox – This app lets you store, synchronize, and share files online. You can gain access to your files or share them with your colleagues anywhere, anytime. And what’s more, it’s safe! With Dropbox installed, your tablet becomes a powerful device that enables you to bring up anything you might need for references while working. Alternatives include Google Drive and OneDrive.
•Skype – Most businesses are starting to take advantage of the features Skype offers. Need to discuss something with your teammates? You can get in touch with them by using the instant messaging or group call features. Skype also allows you to share files with your colleagues with a simple drag-and-drop function.
•iWork – If you’re an iPad aficionado you’ll find that iWork boosts your productivity, with three combined apps – Keynote, Numbers and Pages – that can act as your entire office suite whether you’re in the office, at home or on the road.
Organize your home screen
You can focus more on work with a well-organized page dedicated solely to productive apps. Make sure all of your work-related apps are on the home screen. The key is to keep the home screen simple and clean. While you can organize it in any way you wish, it’s best to try out a few different schemes before settling on the one you’re most comfortable with.
Get a Bluetooth keyboard
One of the major disadvantages of a tablet is the lack of a physical keyboard. When you need to handle several documents or do a lot of writing, using the tablet’s on-screen keyboard probably isn’t a good idea. Luckily this drawback can be overcome with a portable Bluetooth keyboard. This way you can easily respond to emails or edit documents. So invest in a Bluetooth keyboard to improve your overall tablet experience and productivity. You’ll probably find it soon replaces your laptop.
