Automate your life….using recipes?

At Pro Drive we are big fans of automation – we love helping our clients become more productive by using technology to carry out mundane, low value tasks.

But what about applying the same principals to your private life? Surely there must be value in increasing the time we spend with our loved ones, friends, on our hobbies – or whatever else we  enjoy doing outside of work?

And how do recipes come into it?  Read on to find out….

It all centres on an internet based tool which is rapidly gaining momentum – IFTTT (If This Then That).  Essentially it allows you to create work flows using web based applications, phone applications, social media and communications tools.  These are known as recipes.  Examples include:

• If there is a weather forecast for rain tomorrow, then send a text message to your mobile number
• Automatically send a text message to your partner whenever you leave the office
• Receive an iphone notification reminding you to switch off wifi when you leave your house

So here’s how you do it:

1. Create an IFTTT account at www.ifttt.com
2. From the menu on the right ‘create’ a new recipe
3. Run through the on screen steps – it is so simple there is no need to describe it here.  If you want IFTTT to interact with your mobile phone you will need to install the IFTTT app.

All you need to do now is work out what to do with all the spare time you have saved yourself!!