If you’re like me, your iPhone helps sustain your business and personal life. I’ve said before that it holds the secrets of the world. ;) The good news is that you don’t have to go searching high and low for those secrets. The built-in search function will save you time and frustration. Pretty good combo if you ask me.

How to find the search function

While on your home screen, swipe your finger across the screen (left to right)  or press the home button. You’ll see something like this:

How to search

Type in your query and your phone will search your mail, contacts, music, videos, and apps. When you find what you want, just tap it to open/launch.

Simple and easy. And, because of that, I use it all the time. Btw, this feature is not just limited to your iPhone. You iPad and iPod Touch users also have it. Do you use it?

Today’s time/tech tip was submitted by Tom Novak of Timmerrr.com, and since we love timers at OTR, we had to share.  Have you used it? Tell us what you think!

Timerrr is an online countdown timer inspired by a traditional kitchen timer both in terms of functionality and design. That makes it easy to use - even your Grandma will know how. Especially that it comes in two versions – as a rotary timer or as an egg timer.

Countdown Timer

Use autostart mode  when you want the timer to start automatically. Or, use manual mode to start the timer when you’re ready. Simply press the green start button.

Egg Timer

 Did you know that this online app is free? Learn more at http://www.timerrr.com.

If you want to be more productive while in school, StudyBlue.com might work for you. The website offers study tools like flashcards and lecture notes that you can access anytime, anywhere.

You can also get reminders that it’s time to study delivered to your smartphone or via e-mail. You can even keep your notes and flashcards on StudyBlue for a long time. Like forever.

And, it’s free. Visit their website and blog for more information and check them our on Facebook and Twitter.

“According to a recently published report in the journal Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, people are most addicted to ‘checking habits’ associated with their phones – such as repetitive checks of the menu screen, news, email and social apps – and this is triggered by outside situations or behaviors that enable the habit.”

Read More:

Smartphones Prove More Addictive Than Thought | BusinessNewsDaily.com | 7.26.11

Lose your keys often? I recently found a pretty interesting way to keep track of them. If you’re the DIY type and have a few phone cables lying around, this is a project for you (true geeks will really appreciate this). Find out more at Lifehacker.com.

Would you install this key rack in your home or office? 

Source:  Lifehacker.com

Having trouble reading your favorite web pages? Quit squinting or pressing your nose on your laptop screen. The font size won’t get any bigger and you’ll look a little silly (unless silly is what you’re going for). If you use Chrome, you can easily adjust the size of the text by clicking on the settings icon (the wrench on upper right side of screen) and increasing or decreasing the zoom (5th option on the menu).

Or, you can let your keyboard help you out. Use these simple shortcuts to increase or decrease the text on your screen (Thanks, Gina Shreck!).

Increase: Ctrl + (control plus)

1. Open your favorite website

2. Hold down the “ctrl” and “+” keys

Decrease: Ctrl – (control dash)

1. Want to reduce the font size?

2. Hold down the “ctrl” and “-” keys

Default: Ctrl 0 (control zero)

1. Ready to go back to your original or default text size?

2. Hold down the “ctrl” and “0″ keys

That’s it. Really. Simple. Give it shot.

“Sixty percent of small businesses that lose their data go bankrupt because of that data loss. To recreate this data from scratch would cost anywhere from $2000 to $8000 per megabyte.”

Read More:

Are You Backing Up Your Data? Here’s Why You Should | SmallBizTechnology.com | 7.14.11

Back Up Your Data

Sometimes work/family balance seems like a big joke. Impossible, really…unless something comes off your plate (but is that really balance??). While the notion of a good (read: realistic) mix of work and life stuff can elusive, there are ways you can tip the scale in the right direction at the right time.

One of those times is when you take a vacation. Constantly checking your e-mail, outing fires at work, and always being tethered to your clients when you’re supposed to be off is not a fab formula for fun…or relaxation. But what if you could save money by temporarily ditching your smart phone and kissing work adiós while on you’re on vacay? Would you do it?

Some hotels are now offering a Digital Detox or Technology Break option AND are passing on a 15% discount. All you have to do to hand over your tech when you check in.

“Among those planning to check email, 68% say they will do so—daily or more frequently—for work, up from 58% in 2010.” ~WSJ.com

Do we really need to be forced to put our tech and our work away when we take vacation? (Some of you might argue that getting a discount is more akin to being persuaded, rather than being forced.) Does it matter? Probably not, if you can let go of being connected.

But, if we have such a hard time “letting go,” can we really ever find the right balance? Maybe we just need a bit of practice so we can get good at it. That would mean we’d have to want to disconnect. And, tell everyone at work, including the boss, that we’d be out of commission while away. That might also mean choosing a job that is not so demanding – even it it’s well-paying.

What do you think? Would/do you put your tech on pause while vacationing? …and would you be more selective about your choice of careers even if better balance meant less money?

“It’s the time spent in meetings that makes one feel that email is stressful. While people are in meetings they can’t process their email, and when they return to their offices, they’re faced with a flood of messages.”

Read More:

The Biggest Source of Stress in Your Office — and What to Do About It | Bnet.com | 6.23.11

Get More Information

By now, you know that I made the switch from a BlackBerry to an iPhone, which I love, love, love. One of the cool features – that also saves a bit of time – is that you can create events on your calendar directly from dates listed in your mail messages.

Dates in your e-mails turn into a link.