How a Tape Recorder Can Increase Personal Productivity

An unexpected road trip gave me the opportunity to test a theory I have been working on to be more productive as a writer. I am not one enjoys talking and dictating, but when you are driving down the road you cannot stop to type or use pen and paper to write your inspiration every few miles. I had a six hour drive and just my thoughts to keep me company, so this was a good opportunity to test my theory about using a tape recorder to be more productive.

What you will need for a productive road trip or commute:

You will need a small tape recorder. I had a micro cassette recorder that was several years old, but in good working shape. I put in fresh batteries and loaded a couple of extras incase I did get inspired on the trip. You will also need extra cassettes to fit your tape recorder. You can play back the tape recording to transcribe them to your word processor, or, if you find it is beneficial to you after you experiment, you can get a transcription machine that is operated with a foot pedal to free up your hands for typing. I had several deadlines due, so I made a list of the topics that I wanted to dictate while I was driving.

Use your tape recorder when you cannot get to your computer to be more productive:

Once I got started using the tape recorder, I found I had many more opportunities to dictate and had less down time. When I am outside feeding the cows, I have my tape recorder with me. I can make notes on articles and also add in reminders about the cattle in general. When I am washing dishes or doing some other mindless task, I can be dictating any thoughts or ideas that spring up. This has increased personal productivity more than anything else I have tried. The tape recorder frees me from being chained to my desk to write. I have found that I am winning the war on writer's block as well.

Use your tape recorder when you go to interviews, meetings or classes to be more productive:

The tape recorder can be used during formal meetings and class lectures. If you miss something important in your note taking, you have the recording to help you clarify your notes.

Use your tape recorder at night to be more productive:

I find that when I am drifting off to sleep is when I am most inspired. Rather than getting up and going to the computer or risk losing my inspiration, I put the tape recorder on my bedside table. If something comes up, I just turn on the recorder for a few moments and voice my thoughts. I sleep better knowing my ideas are not going to vanish with the sunrise.

Use your tape recorder when you are away from your desk:

If you have ever been away from your desk when inspiration hits, you will understand just how handy a portable tape recorder can be. I could call this a brainstorming method as three or four thoughts will come together suddenly and with crystal clarity. By the time you get back to your desk, you are lucky to get one idea down on paper. By training myself to dictate these thoughts to the tape recorder, I can transcribe them to the computer. In just this one six hour session, I have a wide range of articles written as well as topics for future writings.

The hardest part of using a tape recorder is to transcribe the tapes. I was pleasantly surprised how successful my first attempt turned out to be. I had recorded more than eight stories and had 15 new topics to write about on the first tape alone. Granted, the stories did need some work and the topics needed research, but I felt the experiment was a great success. I am now looking forward to the return trip tomorrow just to see what new articles grow from the long journey home.

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