1. PEMDAS Scientific Calculator: This calculator widget has won an Apple Design award, and it’s quite easy to use. There’s an equation history view, and you can switch between degrees and radians. It’s a step up from the calculator included with OS X and will serve when you need to crunch numbers.

2. iStat Nano: This little widget (above) allows you to check up the stats of your Mac, including CPU and memory usage, hard drive space, bandwith usage, fan speeds and temperatures, thanks to animated menus and transitions. If it’s not enough, you can upgrade for free to the iStat Pro.

3. The Weather Channel Widget: When you just quickly want to check the forecast without opening up a website or an app, like Weather HD, this widget will give you more information than the included Weather widget. It includes a radar map and will notify you if there are any alerts in your region.

4. Currency Converter: If you often need to convert currencies, then this widget will do the job better than Google, thanks to its comprehensive list of currencies, including some legacy currencies, unrecognized currencies, and virtual currencies like the Linden Dollar from Second Life.

5. MightyMonitor: This widget will display the current battery status of your Apple Wireless Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad. If you use these peripherals with your Mac, then it makes sense to monitor them. This widget monitors all three and you can check the status with a glance. The widget will even change color, making it easy to realize when you are running out of juice.

By Range Govindan.

It’s all too easy to get distracted from work on the computer. But there’s a simple technique to help regain focus: create a new User account, one specifically designed for getting work done. That means creating a desktop stripped of extraneous bookmarks, applications, music and movie files, plug-ins, extensions…unless they’re designed for task management or your work related projects. Think of this desktop as your work persona. Creating a dedicated account for work related tasks is like having a work outfit compared to the comfy-cozy sweatpants of leisurely online time.

Creating a new user account space on your computer to logged into offers several advantages, but also comes with a few inconveniences and backdoors too. First off, the User account is only effective if you log into it; the bare bones account could just be avoided entirely and lost to the same procrastination that hampered you prior. Secondly, a bare bones setup still can lead you astray if you have a web browser, the ultimate time killer, so consider leaving online access unless required.

The key to this technique is willpower and it is definitely easier said than done. Cutting out specific Applications/Programs is a good start. Removing distracting visual and and extraneous distracting layers off the desktop can also aid in the focus department. Keep applications and tools with the sole purpose of focus. For example, Omm Writer is an excellent example of a bare bones application which aids in focusing on a single task:

Although individual preferences vary, we find creating a minimalist workspace can be effective in completing tasks more efficiently for almost every type. Removing task bar programs and replacing the desktop with simplistic wallpaper leaves the mind calm rather than vulnerable to jumping from thought to thought. Full screen programs are especially useful, but may be difficult to adjust for those of us prone to jump from one window to another.

Personal tasks should be left for personal time. Leave a note or memo if anything comes up for later, but relegate games, videos and entertainment for breaks or downtime (note: taking breaks throughout the day can actually help you stay focused, so switch into your personal account for 30-60 minute lunch breaks or breathers).

A summary of how to create a focused work environment:
1. Create a new system log-in account for work hours. Here’s how to do this for OS X and Windows 7.
2. Strip this account of any extraneous applications, files, or browser bookmarks that aren’t related to work.
3. If possible and if your work doesn’t require online access, leave out any browser. Stick with email.
4. Replace your desktop with a minimal wallpaper like these. Remove as many icons as possible from your desktop and launcher/start menu.
5. Use full screen mode in applications to prevent jumping unnecessary jumping around.
6. Turn off your smartphone and keep it in a drawer on silent mode.
7. Permit yourself allotted and regular breaks; this is as important in keeping focus as any of the tips above

By Jason Rodway

All of the major web browsers let you save bookmarks to folders. You can then open all of the shortcuts in any given folder all at one time, each in its own tab. If you’ve got a slow computer and a ton of links, this may take a slight bit of effort on your computer’s part. Then again, should you really be reading blogs all day at work? [Perhaps!]

General initial steps
- Create a folder in your bookmarks and name it “Daily Reading”
- Save all of your favorite sites to this folder

Mozilla Firefox
In Firefox, you can store this folder in either your Bookmarks Toolbar or your Bookmarks Menu. Wherever you prefer to keep the folder, simply click the folder from either location and then select “Open in All Tabs.” You can also right click the folder to see this option as well.

Microsoft Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer requires you to open the Favorites Bar and then mouse over the folder you want to open. A little arrow shows up to the right and you click it to launch all of the sites into separate tabs. Microsoft doesn’t give you the option of using the file menu to launch all of your sites at once.

Google Chrome
Chrome has a bookmarks bar where you can keep your daily reading folder. Here you simply right click the folder and select “Open all bookmarks.”

Apple Safari
Safari has a Bookmarks Bar as well. You can click normally or right click on your daily reading folder and then select “Open in Tabs.”

You’re done
Now it’s quick and simple to take a break during the day and get through all your favorite websites in one fell swoop.

By Jason Yang