Swipe File #47: Sharpen the axe

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

— Abraham Lincoln

Hey All,

This issue is dedicated to tools. Here are five I've been using lately that I think you'll like. They aren't directly related to marketing, but I find that new tools encourage me rethink how I go about my work. Back to regularly scheduled programming next week.

Enjoy and if you're feeling inspired, pass it on.

1. CleanMyMac 3

This is a Mac classic. I just updated from version 2 and love it. Here are my three favorite features.

Clear up hard drive space.

Uninstall unwanted software for good. You can also reset apps — this breathes new life into some older apps.

Menu bar widget.

2. Paste

This is a clipboard manager. It keeps a history of your clipboard and also strips formatting to make copying and pasting faster.

When you need to access your clipboard history, just hit ⇧⌘V (Shift + Command + V) and it will appear in the bottom of your screen.

3. Google Photos Uploader

Google Photos lets you store an unlimited amount of photos and videos (although not at full resolution). I've been backing up my phone and desktop with their apps. It all works in the background. It's actually magical if you're used to moving photos to external hard drives or paying for backup services.

4. Apple Photos

Speaking of photos, I'm using Apple Photos in place of Lightroom these days. I know this isn't a photography newsletter, but this is a huge change for people who want to be able to edit photos on their computer.

Pro tip: When editing a photo, click "Adjust" then "Add." You can add editing functionality here that makes Photos a real competitor to Lightroom. (It looks a lot like Aperture used to.)

This guide from iMore covers everything you could ever want to know about Apple Photos.

5. The Best World Clock

I work with people all over the world and I use this tool to keep track of their time zones. I've used a few tools, but this is my favorite so far.

Have a great week!

Jimmy

Show Comments