This is the second in a series of entries wherein I discuss organization. This week, screenshots.
I discovered screenshots a couple of years ago and I have not looked back. What are screenshots, you ask? Essentially, it is an image of the screen you are viewing (the data displayed), on a computer or mobile device (phone or tablet). Depending on your device, there are different ways to capture your screen so it becomes, in essence, a photo you can retain. I do screen captures a lot to have record of important emails, receipts, photos I cannot save in other ways, or other information. I used a screenshot in the last blog about time management.
So on the typical iPhone, to take a screenshot you simply press the button on the side of the phone along with the home button. There are different ways to take screenshots depending on your device's generation. I now have the iPhone 11, and I have to press the top left button and the side right button for a screenshot, as the iPhone 11 has done away with a home button. On my iPad (an older generation from probably 2015) I press the home button and top right (at the very top of the device, not the side). To take screenshots on my Macbook Pro, I press the Shift and Command and Number 3 keys. On most PCs there is a screenshot button. Best practice, Google your device if you are uncertain as to how to take a screenshot.
You can decide where to save your screenshots. I typically recommend you create folders on your device. For example, "Bills", "Kids at Beach Photos", "Emails from Dr. Joseph", etc. As always, I save folders on my desktop when using my computer, and in "files" on my phone or pad. You can always return later to rename files or move them.
If you want instead, you can open a file or folder and use your "paste" function to place your screenshot. I have done this as well, lots of times for work as a technical writer. Just remember if you are using someone else's material to please get permission or at least provide them with credit in your document footnotes.
Now, at this point you are probably asking yourself, why do I want to take screenshots? Well, there certainly are other ways to save information. For example, if you've paid a bill, you will get an email confirmation, or you can check on the provider's web site. But what if you want an instant receipt, or are concerned you will not get the email, or you will forget the email and later delete or lose it? That is when screen capturing comes in. It's like the instant gratification of organization. Charge it versus putting it on layaway. I like shopping so I use many shopping metaphors! :-)
For me, taking screen captures saves time and headaches. In my case, I might forget to save an email somewhere (by the way you also can take screen captures of emails, which I have done) or later forget what folder/s to use. If I do it right away, I have my record, my receipt, my reminder of something important immediately.
This is all a part of organization (filing, storage). It's a valuable tip that works for me and might also be beneficial to you.
Good luck and as always, please let me know if you have any questions!
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