Huge time-saver: Go straight to the recipe and skip the long story
All the buzzes, beeps, pop-ups, rings, dings and notifications built into our tech make it hard to focus. They’re built that way because it’s good for business when we’re addicted. Use these steps to quiet your notifications — and your mind.
If that feels good, wait till you put your phone down. Do a digital detox you can actually stick to.
There’s another time-waster online: Endless blog posts when trying to find something specific. Cooking blogs are a shining example.
A tale as old as time
You found a promising recipe online, but the author has a 3,000-word story on how deeply meaningful those chocolate chip cookies are — and there are pop-up ads everywhere.
Want to skip the story and jump straight to the steps? There are a couple of methods you can try. If you always look up recipes, try them out and see what you like best.
A quick note: I’m all for supporting creators, so I visit their websites. (Pageviews add up to ad dollars.) I pay to read articles on the sites I visit most. You should, too, if you can afford it and there’s content you really appreciate.
This site does it for you
Copy the recipe’s URL into Just The Recipe. Like magic, it’ll give you the ingredients and steps you need. It’s super simple to use and strips away all the junk.
If you love it, there’s also an app and Chrome extension.
Even simpler and it works almost every time
You probably always use this command but didn’t realize how handy it can be for things like this.
Money-saving secret your cable and internet provider doesn't want you to know
When you’re driving, spotty cell coverage is a drag. Music, GPS, and calls just won’t go through. Here’s a quick guide to boosting your service no matter where the road takes you.
What about a travel pro tip if you prefer to fly to your destination? You can see which flights include the most legroom with the right tools. I tell all my tall friends about this trick. Tap or click here for the secret — it’s No. 5 on the list.
Tech smarts: How to know if someone blocked your calls
I have a rule: If writing an email will take longer than a few minutes, I make a phone call instead. It saves me a lot of time.
What happens when you want to call someone, and you’ve misplaced their number or never had their number? Tap or click for smart ways to find anyone’s cell phone number.