生活有时就是这么麻烦。您必须每天准备饭菜，记住诸如吃药或日常约会之类的事情，以及谁想跟踪您的汽车登记到期时间？
现实情况是，生活就是组织、记住事物和完成任务。您可以让计算机、手机和智能家居设备自动化的事情越多，您担心的就越少。更少的担忧意味着更简单、无压力的生活。
在本文中，我们将探讨人们忘记或太累而无法完成任务的生活中最常见的领域，以及如何利用自动化来摆脱这些事情。基本上(Basically)，自动化无聊的东西。此外，请务必查看我们的提示，以自动化您的闲置计算机(automate your idle computer)。
膳食计划、购物和烹饪
有什么比每周计划饭菜、去杂货店购物(grocery shopping)，然后还要自己做饭更费时间的呢？完全自动化该过程中无聊的膳食计划和杂货清单不是很好吗？
如果您在网上搜索，您会发现实际上有许多应用程序和网站会自动为您量身定制膳食计划，并通过电子邮件向您发送制作这些膳食所需购买的所有东西。只需打印电子邮件，将其带到杂货店，您就可以获得一周所需的一切，无需任何工作。
Eat This Much就是这些网站之一。
当您第一次注册时，该网站将引导您完成一份快速问卷，询问您的健康统计数据和饮食偏好。
该问卷甚至包括一个智能测验，您可以在其中对您喜欢或不喜欢的多种食物类型进行投票。
这有助于应用程序根据您的喜好更好地调整其膳食选择。
完成后，网络应用程序将计划一整周的膳食。您可以在网站上访问它们，或者让服务每周通过电子邮件向您发送整个膳食计划和购物清单。
请记住，Eat This Much需要一个高级帐户才能使用自动电子邮件选项，因此如果您想省钱，您可能会考虑寻找其他具有相同功能的服务。
自动化膳食计划和杂货清单的其他一些选项包括：
记住你的药物和其他事情
厌倦(Tired)了必须记住每天必须记住的所有事情？一天吃几次药。每天喂宠物或遛宠物几次。每晚在合理的时间睡觉。
日子充满了要记住的事情。那么，为什么不把无聊的事情自动化，腾出你的头脑去做更重要的任务呢？
一种很好的方法是使用您最喜欢的待办事项列表应用程序(todo list app)。确保选择包含重复提醒的待办事项应用或服务。在此示例中，我们将使用ToDoist。
1. 如果您想在ToDoist中执行此类操作，请创建一个新任务并确保对其进行安排。ToDoist可以理解自然语言，因此当您在新任务下选择计划(Schedule)时，您可以输入“每天早上 8 点”之类的内容。
ToDoist 将了解这一点，并在周日(Sunday)至周六(Saturday)早上 8 点安排任务。
2. 接下来，选择要编辑的任务并选择提醒(Reminders)图标（形状像闹钟）。将此设置为0 分钟前(0 min before)，以便在您每天安排任务的那一刻发生提醒。
3. 最后，进入ToDoist 设置(ToDoist Settings)并从左侧菜单中选择提醒。(Reminders)确保在(Make)您希望如何获得提醒(How would you like to get reminded)下选择了所有三种通知类型。这将确保您在提醒出现时收到桌面通知、电子邮件和移动通知。
要使移动通知正常工作，请确保您已在手机上安装了待办事项应用程序。
从不错过约会
厌倦(Sick)了因为一天中有太多事情而忘记重要的约会？可能是您没有充分利用您可以使用的工具。可以帮助您解决此问题的最常用工具之一是Google 日历(Google Calendar)。
这似乎是一个显而易见的解决方案，但太多人手动使用Google 日历(Google Calendar)，而不是设置自动设置来自动化一周内的所有定期约会。
让我们来看看如何做到这一点。
在此示例中，假设您想确保每天中午在健身房安排锻炼。
1. 打开谷歌日历(Google Calendar)并选择一周中任何一天的中午来设置该约会。
2. 输入约会的标题。您会看到时间已设置，默认为 1 小时。如果您需要更多时间进行锻炼，您可以更改此设置。
3.在时间设置下选择不重复。(Does not repeat)这将打开一个用于重复时间设置的下拉窗口。选择您希望约会重复的频率。在这种情况下，您想在每个工作日中午锻炼，因此您将选择Every weekday (Monday to Friday)。
4. 最后，在添加(Add)位置字段下，选择添加通知(Add notification)。将此设置为 0 分钟，以便在设置约会时准确地发生通知。如果您想给自己时间开车去某个地方，请考虑将其延长 20 或 30 分钟。
5. 最后，进入谷歌日历(Google Calendar)设置，从左侧菜单中选择事件设置，然后在(Event settings)通知下将(Notifications)桌面(Desktop)通知更改为提醒(Alerts)，以便您在手机上收到这些谷歌日历(Google Calendar)提醒的提醒。
您需要确保已安装适用于 Android(for Android)或iOS的(for iOS)Google 日历(Google Calendar)应用，以便可以在移动设备上接收这些通知。
(Save Energy)通过预定的智能家居(Smart Home)节省能源
实现生活自动化的最佳方式是投资智能家居设备。原因是几乎所有智能家居设备都具有创建时间表的功能。
WeMo设备就是一个例子。例如，WeMo交换机包括向您拥有的每个交换机添加规则的功能。
因此，如果您将开关或插头连接到灯或灯，您可以通过自动打开或关闭这些灯来节省能源。
事实上，许多这些智能家居应用程序(smart home apps)可让您使用您的位置来设置灯光在日落时打开和在日出时关闭。或者，如果您想安排灯或其他设备在一天中的设定时间打开或关闭，您也可以这样做。
把(Leave)你的家人一直开着灯的日子抛在脑后。用智能设备替换(Replace)旧开关和插头，您可以节省大量能源成本。您也不必记得在房子周围走动并关闭所有那些浪费能源的灯。
如果您想进一步节省能源，请购买智能恒温器，例如Nest 或 Ecobee。
清理您的电子邮件收件箱
厌倦(Sick)了不断增长的收件箱而没有时间清理它？你也可以自动化。大多数电子邮件服务都包含过滤器，您可以在其中识别特定年龄的电子邮件。Gmail也不例外。
如果您有Gmail帐户，您可以使用过滤器自动删除超过特定年龄（当您收到电子邮件时）的电子邮件。
去做这个：
1. 打开 Gmail 设置并从菜单中选择过滤器和阻止的地址。(Filters and Blocked Addresses)
2. 在过滤器部分下，选择创建新过滤器(Create a new filter)。
3. 在过滤器的弹出窗口中，在包含单词(Has the words)字段中，输入old_than:xxd(older_than:xxd)。您可以将 xx 替换为任何数字，将 d 替换为任何时间间隔，例如“m”代表月或“y”代表年。选择创建过滤器(Create filter)以继续。
4. 在下一个窗口中，选择删除它(Delete it)，然后选择创建过滤器(Create filter)。
现在，任何早于您设置的时间范围的电子邮件都将被自动删除。您不再需要为清理收件箱而烦恼，因为Gmail会为您清理收件箱。
注意(Note)：请记住，您的电子邮件将被删除，无论它们来自谁。如果您有任何重要的东西要保存，您需要确保在过期时间之前导出这些电子邮件并删除它们。
自动化您的预算
您(Are)是否有时会因为忘记支付账单而延迟支付账单？这些天来，没有任何借口。几乎每家公司都提供自动付款选项。
所需要的只是您登录帐户，就像您通常在支付这些账单时一样，并寻找可用的自动支付(Auto Pay)选项。
注册这些服务是个好主意。显然，您需要确保您有一个可以负担所有账单的预算。如果你不这样做，那么你需要考虑减少订阅和服务，所以这不是一个选择。
您还应该将您的投资自动化到您可能拥有的任何退休储蓄中。退休(Retirement)是你应该做的每一份薪水，而不用想太多。
几乎所有的退休账户都提供了一种自动化银行转账的方法。您通常可以将这些时间安排在您收到薪水的那几天或几天后不久。
设置这些，这样您就不必考虑它，并确保您为舒适的退休进行了足够的投资。
当您使用它时，请考虑设置自动转账到您的储蓄账户。大多数银行还提供在您喜欢的任何时间间隔内设置自动预定银行转账的功能。
在你获得报酬的时候这样做可以帮助你建立一个强大的应急基金，让你度过任何困难。应急基金还可以帮助您避免陷入债务。
建立紧急储蓄基金并不需要太多，只要您设置自动转账，您就不必考虑它。
自动化无聊(Boring Stuff)的事情并简化您的生活(Simplify Your Life)
您会注意到上述解决方案都不需要任何编程或复杂的脚本。您需要寻找的只是您已经使用的服务，以及在那里找到的自动化选项。
How To Automate The Boring Stuff – 6 Hacks To Make Life Simple
Life can be such a hassle sometimes. You have to come up with meals every day, remember things like taking medicine or your daily appointments, and who wants to traсk when your car registration is duе?
The reality is that life is all about organizing, remembering things, and completing tasks. The more things you can have your computer, mobile phone, and smart home devices automate, the less you have to worry about. And less worry means a simpler, stress-free life.
In this article we’re going to explore the most common areas of life where people forget or simply are too tired to accomplish tasks, and how you can take advantage of automation to take those things off your hands. Basically, automate the boring stuff. Also, be sure to check out our tips to automate your idle computer.
Meal Planning, Shopping, & Cooking
What is more time consuming than planning meals every week, grocery shopping, and then having to cook all of those meals? Wouldn’t it be nice to completely automate the boring meal planning and grocery list piece of that process?
If you search the web, you’ll find that there are actually a number of apps and websites that will automatically tailor meal plans for you, and email you everything you need to buy to make those meals. Just print the email, take it to the grocery store, and you’ve got everything you need for the week without any work.
Eat This Much is one of those sites.
When you first sign up, the site will take you through a quick questionnaire that asks for your health stats and your eating preferences.
This questionnaire even includes an intelligent quiz where you can vote up or down a number of food types that you like or don’t like.
This helps the app better tune its meal selections to your liking.
When you’re done, the web app will plan out an entire week’s worth of meals. You can access them on the website, or have the service email you the entire meal plan and grocery list every week.
Keep in mind that Eat This Much requires a premium account for the automated email option, so if you’re looking to save money you might consider seeking out other services that do the same.
A few other options to automate meal planning and grocery lists include:
Remembering Your Meds And Other Things
Tired of having to remember all of the things you have to remember every day? Taking medicine several times a day. Feeding the pets or walking them several times a day. Getting to bed at a reasonable time every night.
Days are filled with things to remember. So why not automate the boring stuff and free up your mind for more important tasks?
One great way to do this is by using your favorite todo list app. Make sure to choose a todo app or service that includes recurring reminders. In this example, we’ll be using ToDoist.
1. If you want to do something like this in ToDoist, create a new task and make sure to schedule it. ToDoist understands natural language, so when you select Schedule under the new task, you can type something like “every morning at 8am”.
ToDoist will understand this and schedule the task Sunday through Saturday at 8am.
2. Next, select the task to edit it and select the Reminders icon (shaped like an alarm clock). Set this to 0 min before so that the reminder happens the moment you’ve scheduled the task every day.
3. Finally, go into ToDoist Settings and select Reminders from the left menu. Make sure that all three notification types are selected under How would you like to get reminded. This will ensure that you’ll get desktop notifications, an email, and a mobile notification whenever the reminder comes up.
For the mobile notifications to work, make sure you’ve installed the todo app on your mobile phone.
Never Miss Appointments
Sick of forgetting important appointments because you had too many things going on in your day? It may be that you’re not making good use of the tools at your disposal. One of the most common tools that can help you with this is Google Calendar.
That may seem like an obvious solution, but too many people use Google Calendar manually, rather than setting up automated settings to automate all recurring appointments during the week.
Let’s take a look at how you can do this.
In this example, let’s say you want to make sure you’re scheduling a workout at the gym at noon every day.
1. Open Google Calendar and select noon on any day of the week to set up that appointment.
2. Type the title of the appointment. You’ll see that the time is already set and it defaults to 1 hour. You can change this if you need more time for your workout.
3. Select Does not repeat under the time setting. This will open a dropdown window for recurring time settings. Choose the frequency you want the appointment to recur. In this case you want to work out every weekday at noon, so you’ll select Every weekday (Monday to Friday).
4. Finally, under the Add location field, select Add notification. Set this to 0 minutes so that notifications occur exactly when the appointment was set. If you want to give yourself time to drive somewhere, consider extending this for 20 or 30 minutes.
5. Finally, go into Google Calendar settings, select Event settings from the left menu, and under Notifications change Desktop notifications to Alerts so that you’ll get alerts on your mobile for these Google Calendar reminders.
You’ll want to make sure you’ve installed the Google Calendar app for Android or for iOS so that you can get those notifications on your mobile device.
Save Energy With a Scheduled Smart Home
The best way to automate your life is by investing in smart home devices. The reason for this is that just about all smart home devices include the ability to create schedules.
One example of this is WeMo devices. For example, WeMo switches include the ability to add rules to each switch that you own.
So, if you have a switch or a plug connected to a light or a lamp, you can save energy by automating when those lights turn on or off.
In fact, many of these smart home apps let you use your location to set lights to turn on at sunset and off at sunrise. Or, if you want to schedule lights or other devices to turn on or off at set times of the day, you can do that too.
Leave behind the days when your family leaves lights on all of the time. Replace old switches and plugs with smart devices, and you can save an amazing amount of money in energy costs. You also don’t have to remember to walk around the house and turn off all of those energy-wasting lights.
If you want to take energy savings even a step further, invest in a smart thermostat like a Nest or an Ecobee.
Clean Up Your Email Inbox
Sick of a growing inbox and no time to clean it up? You can automate that too. Most email services include filters where you can identify emails over a certain age. Gmail is no exception.
If you have a Gmail account, you can automatically delete emails that are over a certain age (when you received the emails) by using a filter.
To do this:
1. Open Gmail settings and select Filters and Blocked Addresses from the menu.
2. Under the filters section, select Create a new filter.
3. In the pop-up window for the filter, in the Has the words field, type older_than:xxd. You can replace xx with any number, and d with any time interval like “m” for months or “y” for years. Select Create filter to continue.
4. On the next window, select Delete it, and then select Create filter.
Now, any emails that are older than the timeframe you’ve set up will get automatically deleted. You no longer have to worry about cleaning up your inbox, because Gmail will take care of cleaning it up for you.
Note: Keep in mind that your emails will get deleted, no matter who they’re from. If you have anything important you want to save, you’ll need to make sure to export those emails before the age times out and they get deleted.
Automate Your Budget
Are you sometimes late on bill payments because you’ve simply forgotten to pay a bill? These days, there’s no excuse for that. Nearly every company offers an automatic payment option.
All that’s required is that you log into the account, just as you normally would when you pay those bills, and look for the Auto Pay option that’s available.
It’s a good idea to sign up for these services. Obviously, you’ll need to make sure you have a budget where you can afford all of your bills. If you don’t, then you’ll need to consider cutting back on subscriptions and services so this isn’t an option.
You should also automate your investments into any retirement savings you may have. Retirement is something you should just do every paycheck without giving it much thought.
Nearly all retirement accounts offer a method to automate bank transfers. You can usually schedule these times to be timed exactly on the days, or shortly after the days, you receive your paycheck.
Set these up so that you never have to think about it, and make sure you’re investing enough for a comfortable retirement.
While you’re at it, consider setting up automated transfers to your savings account. Most banks also offer the ability to set up automated, scheduled bank transfers on any time interval you like.
Doing this around the time you get paid can help you establish a strong emergency fund that’ll get you through any difficulty. An emergency fund can also help you from sinking into debt.
It doesn’t take a lot to build up an emergency savings fund, so long as you set up the automated transfer so you never have to think about it.
Automate The Boring Stuff And Simplify Your Life
You’ll notice that none of the solutions above require any programming or complicated scripts. All you need to look for are the services you already use, and the automated options that are found there.
