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Cloud Productivity

Have you ever had one of those days when life just decided to come crashing down all at once? You know, one of those days when the alarm clock died (or maybe you just hit the snooze button one too many times), there was absolutely NO food in the fridge, your kids got up early and decorated your briefcase with flower stickers (in an attempt to make it pretty, of course), the dog tracked mud in from the backyard, and when you finally made it out to your car, you discovered you’re out of gas? So much for getting to work on time.

When life decides it’s time for a hectic day, it’s easy to forget some of the most important things — like that PowerPoint® presentation that lays out the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The presentation you’ve been tirelessly working on so you can impress your boss at today’s meeting. The presentation that is currently saved on your home computer.

So, what do you do?

You can’t turn around and go back to the war zone that is currently your house — after all, it’s likely that your creative kids decided to decorate the handouts that were supposed to accompany that presentation, and while unicorns and Dora the Explorer stickers make them giggle, your boss might have a different reaction. How are you going to save what’s turned into a rather cloudy day? 

You might be surprised how good clouds can actually be.

File sharing in the form of water droplets

Platforms like Microsoft OneDriveGoogle Drive™ and Apple’s iCloud™ specialize in cloud-based file sharing. This technology allows you to upload files (with very little restrictions on the file type) to a virtual storage space that can be accessed from any location, provided you are connected to the Internet. And the best part is, working with these products is simple and efficient!

All business owners understand the value of efficiency and productivity – and what is more efficient than having your fiscal budget presentation at your fingertips? It is a portable and affordable solution that gives you (and your boss) the needed information for your business. All you have to do is upload the file to your cloud platform, and boom! You will have access to every file you’ve uploaded. Talk about bringing a little excitement and thunder to your meeting! Before you know it, you’ll be downloading your files so fast in so many different locations that you’ll be showering your potential clients with knowledge and professionalism.

Just to sweeten the deal, think about the lack of decorative stickers your formal documents will have. Not only are you protecting your information from rampant toddlers, but you are also protecting your documents from any other potential harm — i.e. food splatters, coffee stains, lost papers (or USBs for that matter), and so much more.

There are plenty of ways to utilize the cloud-based products mentioned above and other stand-alone examples, like Dropbox, to increase efficiency and performance. And to jumpstart your productivity, you might want to check out this cool video.

It is great to have a pocket full of sunshine, but maybe keep your back-pocket filled with clouds and files so that you’re always prepared for the unexpected.

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About the Author: Maxym Martineau is a small-business consultant for GoDaddy and a freelance writer based out of Arizona. She’s an avid reader with a love for social media and blogging. Connect with Maxym on Google+. The world’s largest domain name registrar and Web hosting provider, GoDaddy gives small business owners the tools to name their idea, build a beautiful online presence, attract customers and manage their business. To get more tips for your small business — including articles, videos and webinars — check out the GoDaddy Training Hub.

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