As you know, I recently upgraded my Macbook Pro. Last week, I also upgraded my iPhone. I was still using an iPhone 4 (if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it, I say) but was struggling without Siri. I had it on my iPad and really knew I could be more effective if I could also use her on my phone, especially when I travel or run around with the dog. Since I keep my iPhone in a Ballistic cover and have kept it very safe, it was in perfect condition.

GazelleSo, I upgraded. I then went to Gazelle.com and looked into selling my old tech. I unlocked and wiped my phone, and wiped my Macbook hard drive over the weekend, and they are boxed up and on their way back in. The payments from Gazelle more than pay for my new phone, and the process was easy-peasy. My Mac didn’t get as good a price, but it is very old so that made sense.  It was nice to sell it rather than recycle it for free.

I found Gazelle through a TV advertisement. I did a little research, recent sales on eBay (usually where I sell) and Craig’s List… but I couldn’t get a price close.  I don’t yet know if it will be a hassle to sell to them, but it was worth a shot to see if it was a simple, painless way to unload my old tech. I will let you know how it works out… it will take a few weeks to get the final payments.

Why am I sharing all of this with you?  I guess with the hope that it helps you find creative ways to make upgrades you might need in your business.  Tech, when used effectively, can minimize the time it takes to complete routine tasks.  Asking Siri to send and read new text messages while your hands are busy doing other things, for example, can be a handy, time-saving tool.

Tech can sometimes work against us. When it is not working properly, it can be frustrating, painful even. When it is working, and we learn to work with it, tech can really reap benefits in all areas of our lives.

Taking the time to learn to use your tech is also important, but that is another blog post, entirely.

How do you use tech to save time and/or increase effectiveness? I would love to know.