Browser tabs, amiright?
For those of us old and/or geeky enough to remember when tabbed browsing first became available, it was a godsend. No more stacks of never-ending browser windows all over the place.
Of course, we still have the same underlying problem. We still have too much stuff open in our browsers; it has just shifted to too many tabs instead of too many windows.
Often these tabs are things we no longer need, so that is no problem – close away. But what if they are something we want to research later? What if they are reference material, or items that require some sort of action?
Technology wizard Justin Lancy (aka Veritrope) has put together this fantastic list of resources for Mac users (sorry, Windows friends) that allow you to capture those open tabs and quickly do something with them:
Tools to Organize Browser Tabs for Mac Users – Veritrope
Here’s a strategy that you might consider trying: Prepare some tools which can, at the moment you’re ready, put all those tabs exactly where you need them so you can close those tabs. If most of those tabs are really your to-do list, line them up in one window and then get them into your actual to-do list. I’ve found that if your tools are easy to use, you’ll be more likely to make it a part of your routine.
That’s the key – Getting in the habit of not letting those open tabs accumulate.
If you are using Safari or Chrome, he’s created AppleScripts to save your open tabs to Text files, Evernote, OmniFocus, OmniOutliner, Reminders, and DEVONthink Pro.
He’s even packaged them up in easy Alfred workflows and Launchbar 6 actions. Bananas.
I’ve found the Alfred Chrome-to-OmniFocus one super handy because that is how I roll, but I am going to start playing with the Evernote ones as well.
Thanks Justin! Now I just have to actually take action on these tabs I am putting into my task manager.
(Photo by Peter Dutton)
