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How To Become Bit Literate

All in one computer graphic

It is no secret that we live in a busy and online world. With social media, texting, and emailing, it is very easy to get overwhelmed with all the information coming through. How do we stay on top of everything? There are many ways we measure the digital age we are living in. It is our ability to get information, communicate, play and learn. But one thing is for sure, we like to interact with bits, especially in the digital space. Bits are everywhere we look, from the small blips of a digital app to the large bytes of a game, they are the building blocks of this new world.

I read a book titled Bit Literacy: Productivity in the Age of Information and E-mail Overload (2007) by Mark Hurst. The book was loaded with great insights as to how to best manage your computer and the software that you use for work, home, and play.

I was thinking about what subject would be helpful to listeners of my tech blog, and readers of my tech newsletter, that would help them manage their digital lives. I’ll admit I have had to go back and relearn some of the lessons from Bit Literacy because I have fallen away from the ones that are great time savers. A bit in your computer is basically an electrical impulse without weight. Yet, it has the power to weigh you down when you can’t get up from your computer.

Three quick takeaways from the book, to get started with, are managing your email, finding an easy digital to-do list app that you’ll use, and learning software shortcuts.

Time has a way of getting away while online if you don’t control the applications you use by becoming proficient with them. Finding a way to optimize the software that comes with your computer or laptop is a great way to save time and frustration. Preinstalled applications that come with your PC, Mac or Chromebook are optimized for that operating system. Unless you need a third-party app to do a task then it is best to master the ones preinstalled and then the ones that you need to be added.

Computer Information Overload is a real issue that many people face today. My goal is to write and broadcast a series of guides to eliminate some of the effects of computer information overload and help you optimize and manage your particular computer and software.

Computer Screen Graphic

I will also provide video training and live broadcasts covering this topic in depth. I have been using a personal computer at home and work for over three decades. I’m proficient in the application suites offered by Microsoft, Google, and Apple, but by no means know it all. I’m always learning and want to share some of what I know while I’m still kicking it on this side of the sod.

My plan is to start with the current operating systems in use today, the office suite applications native to each one and some productivity tools available to manage your email inbox and to-dos. I currently have a website platform for publishing written and spoken material. I’m working on finalizing my video delivery platforms.

You can signup for my current tech newsletter and listen to my podcasts at https://gregdoig.com

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