Yesterday we gave Baydin’s Boomerang for Gmail a pretty decent once over.  I have been using the service for the past week or so and I’m happy with the results I’m getting.  As editor of this site – and living in North America as opposed to where Envato HQ is based – it’s handy to schedule emails and move on to other things that aren’t, well, email. Alas, the service is still in beta, so you’ll need an invite to use it.

Luckily, WorkAwesome has just been given 1000 invites to give away (thank you, Baydin)! Use the promo code b4gbeta on the link below and you’re good to go…

Boomerang for Gmail: Get Started Today! Keep Reading…

There’s a certain art to putting together a solid presentation and PowerPoint and Keynote are the primary tools of the trade.  The “art” comes into play when you’re trying to set yourself apart; so how you use the tools is of great importance.  Often it is the design of the presentation itself that does the trick.  In an effort to help you put together a great-looking presentation, here are 28 examples of creative presentation designs using Powerpoint and Keynote:

Keep Reading…

And then there were three.

Today marks the relaunch of our sister site, The Netsetter. Along with this site and FreelanceSwitch, the new Netsetter creates a “triple threat” in terms of getting better at what moves you.  All three sites offer practical tips that cover topics that can help those who want to get better at what they love doing.

The Netsetter was a blog started by Envato’s CEO, Collis Ta’eed in 2009 as a place to discuss start ups. The second iteration of the site doesn’t stray too far from the initial concept, but has been retooled by the Netsetter team to appeal to a wider audience.

If you’re a true netsetter then you’re already on your way to doing something that you truly love doing.  With The Netsetter, FreelanceSwitch and WorkAwesome, you have an arsenal of resources available to you that can enable you to do what you love at a whole new level.

Are you a netsetter? Then head on over to the newly-revamped Netsetter today! Keep Reading…

We’ve discussed corporate speak and touched on buzzwords in the past here at WorkAwesome, but haven’t been able to provide you with a full demonstration of them being put to practice.

That is, until now.

This guy seems to have them all down…

(Video courtesy of TVO’s Search Engine with Jesse Brown.)
Keep Reading…

I was going to write this earlier, but decided to work on another project first.  Then fresh emails beckoned.  Then I ate dinner. 

I found every which way to do everything but the task at hand…even though I knew full well that I had to get it done. Combating these “creative time-wasters” is something ew need to work at every single day. Over at our sister site, FreelanceSwitch, Will Kenny gives us a few tips on how to do just that.

Fight Creative Time Wasting: Tips for Resourceful Time Wasters

But before you go, check out this video by Levni Yilmaz that takes creative time wasting to a whole other level.

Keep Reading…

I’ve been a big proponent of using paper to plan out projects as well as tasks, but since picking up an iPad I’ve been shifting back into electronic organization.  I still love having a pen and paper handy, but I’m starting to find that with the right tools in play electronically I am producing more efficiently and effectively.  It boils down to a few things, really: Keep Reading…

Having goals is an automatic tendency for everyone – and the goals will be wide in range and scope.  What might be something you find not really worthy of being pursued another may envision as an ultimate achievement.  It is the achieving them that is the challenging part – although I’d argue that even sitting down to set goals is a larger challenge.  It should serve to be an offshoot of your to-do list…and once you’ve put them down and have them in writing, they’re a lot tougher to ignore.

The Freelance Folder blog put together a great post that not only outlines a few of the author’s “bucket list” items, but challenges the reader to come up with their own.  It’s an inspiring read and will hopefully serveto get you thinking about what you really want to achieve to live your life to the fullest.

The Freelancer’s Bucket List Keep Reading…

Keeping on top of your game both at work and in life is a real challenge; you can’t stay super-productive if you’re super-exhausted.  It just won’t happen.

This is where having a workout routine comes into play.

It’s called a “workout” for a reason – it’s work.  You have to treat it as such.  If you didn’t show up for work when you were scheduled, you’d have to face the consequences.  Same goes with working out.  Both set of consequences could spell long-term trouble for you.

Freelancers may have an easier time consistently working out – they generally have a strong sense of self-discipline to call on and keep them honest.  That said, they may be “too busy” to do a regular workout.  Those who work at the office 9 to 5 will use the same excuse – or bring up plenty of others that fit the bill.

A site I like to check out for fitness tips is NerdFitness – and it’s fitting that the creator of the site, Steve Kamb, took the plunge this week by quitting his “safe” job to focus solely on the site.  He’s got the goods to make it all work, too.

So, what’s your workout routine?  What are your favorite sites to get fitness tips?  Let us know in the comments. Keep Reading…

Today’s dads seek better work-life balance

In honor of Father’s Day, this article takes a look at how the new fathers of the day are meeting the responsibilities of the role both at home and at work.

App demo: Round the Clock

The Unofficial Apple Weblog gives us a sneak peek at an app called Round the Clock.  What this productivity app for all of Apple’s line of mobile devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) does is present all of your calendar information as a pie chart – and that’s just for starters.  It’s kind of like having a digital Muji Chronotebook at the ready.  It may not be for everyone, but the video is worth a look.

Freelancer’s Wishlist – Father’s Day Edition

Dads aren’t the easiest to shop for – I know, I’m one of them.  But sister site FreelanceSwitch has thoughts on what could be a solid (or solid-state) gift for the “freelance father” in your life!

Manymoon: Free Social Productivity, Project Management & Task Management

Fan of Google’s web apps?  Then Manymoon has a productivity solution that could be what you’ve been looking for…and it’s free.  Definitely something to check out if you (and your team) rely on having stuff in the “cloud.”

Lemonade: The Movie

This movie touches on what we’ve talked about in terms of  “dream jobs” here at WorkAwesome, but it also takes it a step further.  What if you were given a chance for a clean slate because you found yourself without a job altogether?  A pretty inspirng film – and fairly short as it clocks in at just over half an hour. Keep Reading…