Sometimes we spend too much time to do some kind of work that can be delegated. If you do not have your own subordinates at work or housemaid at home, it is not necessary to wait until robots became as usual as refrigerators are. Even today we can make more free time using robots or automated services.
Here is my list.
1. Robots from iRobot Corporation
Yes, it is about real robots that you can buy today. Though iRobot corporation produces robots for an US army, maybe you've heard about Roomba - autonomous vacuum cleaner that is available for everybody. Roomba is very fun toy but also it is useful - it can save a lot of time cleaning the house. You can read nice review of it here.
Currently iRobot offers wide range of different cleaners, but the most impressive thing that is currently available in limited quantities is ConnectR (pronounced as "connector") - they call it "virtual visiting" robot. Virtual visiting means that you can walk in your home, talk with others and see everything while you are actually thousand miles away. You just have to use notebook with broadband Internet connection and have wireless network at home available to the robot to make all it work. It is even hard to imagine all possible scenarios when this thing can save your time with its virtual visiting feature.
2. Online shops and ordering services
Do you know how much time you spend for shopping? Most people everyday drive their car to supermarket spending hours each week to buy almost the same batch of food. Today we have wide choice of services that allow to make orders without wasting time (like Freshdirect.com).
You can use Internet or mobile phone to make individual orders or customize regular orders for you. If you subscribe for regular orders, you may receive a reasonable discount.
3. Automated bill paying and online banking
We have to pay a lot of bills on a regular basis. Most banks have a feature to automate bill paying and provide online access to account management. You can subscribe to such services and greatly reduce number of visits you have to make to a bank.
Currently online banking is a secure way to make your transactions, especially if bank provides hardware security token devices.
4. Voice-to-Document service
If you hate typing text on a computer keyboard or have to type a huge amount of text, you may like Voice-to-Document service (http://www.speak-write.com) - you can record dictation, submit it to the service and receive electronic version of the text for a reasonable price (starting from 1.25 cents per word). This service uses highly trained personnel, you even can order to type legal texts requiring the use of a legal transcriptionist or a group conversation involving more than one person talking.
5. Automated routine operations at your computer
Most people intensively using a computer often repeat some typical operations. In most cases such operations can be automated and run very fast with a one keystroke or a menu command.
You can use program's built-in features to run macros - all programs in Microsoft Office provide such functionality or use some third-party add-ons and software. For example, for Firefox browser you can install plugin Morning Cofee that keeps track of daily routines and opens them in tabs.
You can use very popular and free software Autohotkey that is capable to record keyboard and mouse actions, remap keys, react to commands from hand-held remote controls and even create executable file from script that runs on any computer even without Autohotkey installed. Here is good article in PC Magazine describing how to use this program to save time.
You can add in comments more robots and services that you are using to free up more time.
8d42895d-cd30-4695-89e3-b736f417765c|3|3.7