Sometimes you say something better than you could write it. The other day I had been working withwriting documents all day long and just didn’t want to type any more. I happened to be looking up inthe corner of my desktop and see the “Dictate” app. I assumed it was like the dictate apps of thepast which didn’t work very well.
In the past I had experimented with this type of software, but most of the time it did not put down thewords that I was saying. I spent more time correcting the information than writing it.However, the software for this app has improved and it can save you time. In my book,PerfectTIMING, I talk about ways to save time for executives. When I discovered this one, I realizedthat it could save a person several hours each day.
Since it was the last day of the week (which I use for preparation for the next week) I dictated abouteight documents that I would normally type. Not only was I done in half the time, I could spend moretime on creative processes.
It was also helpful in email. When you do email sometimes you know what you want to say andoccasionally write it in a very formal way. Dictating it helps you be more conversational. By saying it,you can picture the person in front of you and say what it is you want to say.
Of course, I always recommend my 5 S method for speaking. The first S stands for SHORT: Onlyuse the words you absolutely need. The second S stands for SIMPLE: Don't ever use words that aperson wouldn't understand. The third S is SELECTIVE: Choose the most accurate words in yourvocabulary to say what it is you want to say. My fourth S is SLOWLY: If you are verbally sayingsomething—quit rushing. People will lose interest if you don’t slow it down. The last S is for SMILE.We should feel your smile whether you are talking to us verbally or in written form.I dictated this entire blog in less than 5 minutes, and I think it may be one of my best!Check to see if your computer has a dictation app. It may save you a lot of time.