Technology Spotlight: How Alexa Can Help Your Life...In the Kitchen and Beyond #organizeyourlife #technology #reducestress

Life is busy! Technology like Amazon's Alexa can help you organize, streamline...and more. My Alexa is a HUGE help in my kitchen! I use Alexa for multiple tasks to keep The Weekend Gourmet running smoothly -- including measurement conversions and playing background music while I cook. Today, The Weekend Gourmet's correspondent is sharing some other great services that Alexa provides to users. The feature may contain affiliate links

Ah, Alexa...that seemingly inconspicuous little black dot that sits in the corner of our room...or on our desk. Alexa is the brainchild of Amazon, one of the world’s biggest retailers. While most of us use Alexa for playing music -- or asking it to tell us stupid jokes -- it can do so much more! In fact, if used correctly, Alexa can work as a digital personal assistant -- helping us keep our lives on track of our life, both personal and business. If you're not sure how to get the very best out of Alexa, here are some ways you can use this technology to help get you organized.

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Organize Your Calendar

Remember the days when you said, "Let me check my calendar" and it meant you would actually check an actual physical calendar? You'd have to carry it around everywhere with you or risk forgetting appointments and events. Do you need to do that anymore? Absolutely not! If you have a calendar on your smartphone -- as most of us do -- you can easily sync it to Alexa. Google Calendar, for example, works really well with Alexa. You simply ask her what you have on your schedule for that day, and she will tell you! You can also ask Alexa to add/or remove appointments and events in your calendar. Handy, huh?

Healthcare Monitor

If you have health concerns, keeping on top of them can be difficult -- especially when you're trying to juggle a family, work commitments, and everything else. University of Southern California (USC) has found that Alexa can be really helpful in helping you manage and learn about health concerns. For example, you can get information about your recent prescriptions and blood sugar readings. It's another great way that technology can really help our lives!

Reminders

Forget what day the trash and recycling are supposed to be put out? Lying in bed and remember that you MUST put that important document in your briefcase for tomorrow? The chances of remembering in the morning are often pretty slim -- unless you add it to Alexa! You can easily set a reminder for a particular day and time, so you don't need to worry about forgetting anything ever again. 

Help Your Concentration

If you're trying to focus on a task -- maybe you work from home -- and you get easily distracted, Alexa can help. The Pomodoro skill can keep you on task, letting you know how much longer you need to work before you can take a short break. Some people also find they need background noise -- perhaps ambient sounds or white noise -- to help them better concentrate. Simply ask Alexa, and she'll play whatever you need!

Technology is often blamed for being an extra distraction in our lives. However, if used correctly, technology can make our lives so much easier. The more you explore Alexa’s capabilities, the more things you'll discover to help you and get your life organized and on track.