In our day-to-day life, we encounter many situations that can lead to stress and agitation. It might be the challenge of dealing with certain clients, the pressure of an approaching deadline, or just the general hustle and bustle. While there are many ways to seek solace, what do you do when you’re stuck at your desk with no time to spare?
Luckily, the internet offers a solution.
There are websites specially designed to help you find tranquility and peace. Through engaging visuals and calming sounds, among other methods, they offer a quick yet effective escape from stress. If you’re in need of some swift and efficient relaxation techniques, here’s our curated list of 10 websites that can help soothe your nerves. They’ve certainly been a great help to me, and I hope they’ll be the same for you.
Calm lives up to its name by offering you a choice between “guided calm” and a simple “timer” for your relaxation session, lasting anywhere from 2 to 20 minutes.
For those who prefer guidance, a soothing voice will lead you through techniques to relax both your body and mind. If you’re short on time and prefer something quick, the “timer” option is for you. The ambiance is enhanced by background music paired with beautiful nature scenes, such as a misty riverside or sunlight filtering through clouds.
There’s also a free iOS app with limited features available.
As the name suggests, this site challenges you to simply listen to wave sounds for two minutes without touching your keyboard or mouse. Fail, and you’ll have to start over.
It’s a simple concept, but this brief pause can be just what you need to reset. There’s an app available for iOS users who find these two minutes of doing nothing particularly beneficial.
A Soft Murmur is a user-friendly website that allows you to craft your own ambient sound mix. Choose from rain, singing bowls, or the cozy crackle of a fireplace among 10 different sounds. Mix them to create your perfect working or relaxing environment.
These sounds can help you concentrate better on your work.
Noisli creates an ambiance with background sounds like coffee shop buzz, the whir of a fan, white noise, and more, all adjustable to fit your mood. The site’s colors change to match the sound’s mood, enhancing your experience.
It also features a Text Editor for distraction-free writing, with the option to save your work. An iOS app is available, allowing you to take Noisli’s calming effects wherever you go.
For those who find solace in the sound of rain, Raining.fm offers various rain sounds to help you relax. The looping is so seamless, you’ll feel as if you’re listening to a continuous rain shower.
Additional features include an image slideshow, a quick break reminder, and a timer to stop the sound. The reminder is handy for taking short breaks, and there’s a Raining.fm app available for both iOS and Android users.
myNoise.net is your digital sanctuary for focus, relaxation, and sleep. Dive into a vast collection of soundscapes, from nature sounds to ambient music, all designed to create your ideal audio environment.
This ad-free site respects your privacy, offering an oasis of sound to enhance productivity, meditation, sleep, and more.
Whether you need to block out distractions, find tranquility, or just enjoy a moment of peace, myNoise.net is your go-to audio haven.
PixelThoughts.co offers a unique 60-second meditation tool designed to help clear your mind. Simply input a stressful thought into the star, and watch as the tool guides you through a calming process, aiming to leave you feeling less stressed and more connected.
It’s a quick, effective way to find a moment of peace in your busy day.
Rainy Mood is the internet’s favorite destination for rain sounds, cherished by millions for sleeping, studying, and relaxing. It offers a soothing rain experience that makes everything better.
You can enjoy Rainy Mood’s calming effect through its free web version or enhance your experience with additional features by trying the iOS/Android app.
Also available on Spotify and Apple Music, Rainy Mood turns any moment into a serene rain-soaked sanctuary.
Explore.org offers a captivating live cam at Bergin University, showcasing their Service Dog Program.
This unique view provides a glimpse into the training and development of service dogs, highlighting their importance and the dedication involved in preparing them for their roles in assisting individuals. Explore.org, known for its philanthropic live nature cam network, brings the soul of humanity closer by championing selfless acts and inspiring lifelong learning.
This live cam is just one of many that allow viewers to watch nature and nurturing unfold in real time.
Thisissand is a creative playground that transforms your screen into a canvas for sand art. With a simple start, you can pour virtual sand to create and share mesmerizing landscapes and intricate layers of colors and textures.
Available on both computers and mobile devices, Thisissand offers a unique outlet for artistic expression and relaxation, inviting users to watch as their digital sandscapes come to life.
There’s no need to rush off to the tech repair store for every problem your PC might have. A lot of usual computer issues can be solved quite easily on your own, allowing you to handle them with a few straightforward steps.
This guide is here to help you fix common PC issues by yourself. Below, you’ll find a rundown of the top 15 hardware problems that PC users encounter and how you can deal with them without outside help.
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1. PC Overheating
A heating PC slows down the entire system and can lead to frequent crashes. Moreover, PC components might permanently damage due to continuous exposure to heat.
There are two primary reasons your PC might overheat: either the cooling system isn’t functioning correctly, or the PC is generating more heat than the cooling system can manage. For both scenarios, I’ve detailed a comprehensive guide on various methods to manage an overheating PC. Make sure to check it out.
2. Dysfunctional USB Port
If your USB port stops working, it might not necessarily be broken. Here are some solutions that can help resolve this issue:
Method 1: Restart the PC
Restarting your PC can solve many issues, including problems with the USB port.
Method 2: Uninstall USB Port Driver
Uninstalling the driver of the USB port will prompt Windows to reinstall it upon restarting your PC, potentially fixing the issue. Here’s how to do it:
Press Windows + R keys and enter devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog to open the Device Manager.
Expand the Universal Serial Bus controllers option.
Right-click the entry USB Host Controller and then click on Uninstall.
Repeat this for all entries with USB Host Controller to uninstall drivers for all the USB ports.
Once deleted, restart your PC, and Windows will automatically reinstall the drivers, fixing any driver-related issues.
Method 3: Disable USB Selective Suspend
The USB Selective Suspend feature in Windows saves power by suspending idle USB ports, but sometimes it might prevent a USB port from working. Here’s how to disable it:
Press Windows + R keys and type powercfg.cpl in the Run dialog to open Windows Power Options.
Click on Change plan settings next to your current plan, then click on Change advanced power settings.
Expand USB settings and disable USB selective suspend setting.
Restart your PC to see if the issue with the USB port is resolved.
Note: Keep this option enabled to save battery power. If disabling it doesn’t resolve the USB port issue, consider enabling it again.
3. PC Keeps Disconnecting from WiFi
If your Wi-Fi is functioning properly but your PC keeps disconnecting from it, the issue may be due to your PC’s network card not receiving full power. Windows features a built-in power saver option that reduces power to the network card. You’ll need to disable this feature by following these steps:
Navigate to Advanced settings in the Power Options.
Expand Wireless Adapter Settings and then Power Saving Mode.
Adjust this to Maximum Performance.
Alternatively, if your PC continues to disconnect from Wi-Fi and the issue persists, the problem might be a faulty wireless adapter driver. Consider using Auslogics’ Driver Updater to detect and resolve issues with device drivers by fetching and installing the latest official driver software.
4. PC Beeps
The motherboard of your PC is equipped to detect issues and uses beeps of varying rhythms to communicate problems. For an in-depth understanding of what different beep patterns mean, check out this detailed article on interpreting these signals.
If your PC fails to start after emitting these beeps, solving the problem can be challenging. Nonetheless, I’ll discuss two common issues that cause beeps and how you can resolve them yourself.
Problem 1: RAM Displacement
One common issue I encountered is the RAM becoming loose or displaced, leading to 2-3 beeps from the PC without it booting up. The solution is straightforward: open up the PC (though laptop users might prefer professional help) and reseat the RAM. Here’s how:
Clean any dirt from the RAM slot using a cotton bud after removing the RAM completely.
Reinsert the RAM, applying sufficient pressure on both ends to ensure it is fully seated.
Secure the clips, ensuring they’re properly locked, as even slightly loose RAM can prevent your PC from working.
Refer to this video for guidance on installing the RAM properly:
Problem 2: Issues with Newly Added Hardware
Beeps can also result from damaged or incorrectly installed hardware components. Remove any hardware you’ve recently added to see if it addresses the issue. If your PC functions correctly afterward, ensure the component is installed correctly or consider repairing or replacing it.
5. PC Fans Not Working
If you discover that one or more fans within your PC are not functioning, it might be due to accumulated dirt. You’ll need to open your PC and clean the fans and other components using a can of compressed air or a leaf blower.
For guidance on the cleaning process, watch this helpful video:
If cleaning doesn’t solve the issue, consider using the SpeedFan app to diagnose and possibly fix the problem. This app allows you to control your PC’s fans, though your motherboard must support fan control to utilize this feature.
6. PC Not Using Full RAM Capacity
There are times when your PC might not utilize all the RAM installed. For instance, you could have 4GB of RAM, but the Task Manager only shows 2GB in use. Often, this is due to a specific Windows setting.
Note: If a small amount of RAM (200-400MB) is not being utilized, it’s likely reserved for hardware use, and there’s not much that can be done about it.
The solution is straightforward – Windows may have been set to use only a part of the available RAM. Here’s how you can adjust it:
Press Windows + R keys and type msconfig in the Run dialog to open System Configurations.
Navigate to the Boot tab and click on Advanced options.
Check the box next to Maximum memory and enter the total amount of RAM installed (in MBs).
Click OK and restart your PC to apply the changes.
Good to know: While adjusting these settings, also consider checking the Number of processors option to ensure your PC is using all available CPU cores. Set it to the maximum number to utilize full CPU power.
If the issue persists, it’s possible that one of the RAM modules may not be properly installed. Attempt reinstallation to see if it resolves the issue.
7. Overworking Fan
Your PC’s fan speeds up based on your PC’s temperature—the higher the temperature, the faster the fan runs. If your PC’s temperature is normal (you can check it using HWMonitor), but the fan is still running at full speed, you might need to manually adjust the fan speed.
The SpeedFan app can help you monitor and adjust the speed of your PC’s fans. This issue of fans overworking typically occurs only with motherboards that have fan control capabilities, so compatibility with the app shouldn’t be a concern.
8. PC Crashes Before Loading the OS
If your PC crashes immediately after showing the manufacturer logo and before loading the operating system, the issue likely lies with the RAM or the hard disk. This means the operating system can’t load because the RAM is corrupted or the hard disk is damaged.
For those with multiple RAM slots, removing each RAM module one at a time and starting the PC can help identify the faulty component. Ultimately, you’ll need to replace the corrupted RAM or hard disk.
9. PC Isn’t Powering On
If your PC isn’t powering on at all, with no lights turning on, the problem could be with the power source.
Desktop users: Ensure that the extension cord, power outlet, and all connections are functioning correctly. If they are, try swapping the power cable with another one, such as the monitor’s, to see if the PC turns on. If this resolves the issue, you’ll need a new power cable.
Laptop users: Try removing the battery and then reinserting it before starting the laptop. If that doesn’t work, remove the battery again and connect the laptop to the charger to try powering it on without the battery. If the laptop powers on, the battery may need to be replaced.
Note: It’s also wise to disconnect any external devices from your PC when attempting these solutions, as a malfunctioning device could be the cause of the power issue.
10. Noisy PC
A noisy PC often signals the need for a thorough cleaning. You can clean it yourself using a can of compressed air or a leaf blower. Overclocking your PC’s GPU and CPU might also contribute to the noise.
Here’s a video demonstrating simple methods to clean your PC:
Sometimes, the noise could be coming from a disc in the DVD ROM. For more details on PC components that can cause noise, check out this informative article.
11. Noisy Hard Drive
Clicking or grinding noises from your hard drive are warning signs that it may be failing. Hard drives have a finite lifespan, and these sounds often indicate imminent failure. The CrystalDiskInfo hard drive monitoring tool can help assess the health of your hard drive, displaying conditions like “Good,” “Caution,” or “Bad.”
It’s crucial to back up your data immediately and consider acquiring a replacement hard drive before the current one fails.
12. Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)
The feared Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) can be triggered by both software and hardware issues, though it often points to hardware problems. It’s crucial to address BSOD promptly as it indicates significant trouble.
BlueScreenView, a helpful Nirsoft utility, provides valuable information following a BSOD event, aiding in the identification and resolution of the issue. Here are some common BSOD triggers and their fixes.
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Corrupted Drivers
Corrupted drivers can lead to BSOD. To diagnose and address this issue, follow these steps:
Access Device Manager by typing devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog.
Expand each category and look for any drivers marked with a yellow triangle icon.
If any are found, right-click on the driver and select Update Driver Software to update it.
Alternatively, third-party apps like IObit Driver Booster can automate the process of identifying and resolving driver issues.
Excessive Load on RAM
Opening more programs than the RAM can handle might freeze the system and trigger BSOD. Limit the number of concurrent programs or consider upgrading your RAM to avoid this issue.
Faulty Hard Disk
A BSOD can also signal a failing hard disk. Refer to the guidelines in problem #11 to detect hard disk issues.
Overheating PC
An overheating PC may lead to BSOD if excessive stress is placed on the components. Follow the instructions provided in problem #1 to address this.
13. Blank Monitor
If your monitor displays nothing, it could indicate an issue with the monitor itself or the graphics card. Test the monitor with another PC to determine the source of the problem.
If the monitor doesn’t power on at all, try replacing the power cable with one that’s known to work. For more troubleshooting tips, here’s a useful article on fixing a monitor that shows nothing.
14. Monitor Goes Black After a Few Seconds
If your monitor goes black after displaying for a few seconds, it may be related to color quality or screen adjustment settings. Try pressing the auto-adjust button on your monitor. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, consider changing the display color from 32-bit to 16-bit.
Connecting your PC to a different monitor to adjust the graphics card settings could also be helpful. Using the auto-adjust feature might briefly restore the display, allowing you to tweak the color settings in that short window.
15. Keyboard Issues
If your keyboard is noisy or fails to type repeated words correctly, it’s likely not a hardware issue. Windows settings such as toggle keys and filter keys might be activated, leading to these symptoms. To disable them, follow these steps:
Access the Control Panel and select Ease of Access.
Click on Change how your keyboard works.
Uncheck the boxes next to Toggle keys and Filter Keys to resolve the issue.
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Wrapping Up
While many hardware issues can be resolved by adjusting settings or using specific software, some problems may necessitate a trip to the computer repair shop. Knowing what’s wrong with your PC enables you to take appropriate action. We’d love to hear about any PC hardware problems you’ve encountered and how you solved them, so please share your experiences in the comments.
Building a social media following feels like aiming to be the most popular kid in school, but exponentially more challenging. It often appears as though you must decipher some highly exclusive popularity secret to truly connect with your audience.
Thankfully, the dynamics of social media are much more diverse than high school hierarchies. Your followers might not all be the prom queen or the quarterback, meaning being the “coolest” brand isn’t the only path to their hearts.
A study on the psychology of sharing reveals different types of followers, each with unique attractions to your content, social media posts, and brand persona for various reasons.
To effectively engage your followers, it’s crucial to first understand which type of follower you’re targeting, how they interact on social media, and most importantly – what value you can offer them.
Career-Focused Followers
If you’re active in any career-centric LinkedIn group, you might have noticed a few standout members. They’re the ones always sharing insightful articles, sparking discussions, and asking thought-provoking questions about their industry. Their motivation is clear.
They understand that in today’s world, our personal and professional lives are intertwined. By carefully choosing what content to share and which questions to ask, they bolster their professional image. These individuals are dedicated to crafting their online personas to be recognized as thought leaders and experts in their field.
Predominantly, these followers prefer LinkedIn, though they might occasionally pop up on Facebook as well.
Career-Focused Followers
Target these individuals if you’re a B2B service or an expert in their industry.
Create content that’s not only relevant but packed with actionable advice and deep industry insights.
Ensure your LinkedIn presence is strong, with content that’s comprehensive and credible, to attract this audience.
Case in Point:
HubSpot has masterfully engaged the career-oriented social media user. As a provider of B2B website software and analytics for inbound marketing professionals, HubSpot has become a primary resource for the latest in inbound and digital marketing.
Trendy Followers
Young, popular, and always in-the-know, trendy followers chase the latest fads and crave the “cool” factor. Capturing their attention can be challenging, but win them over, and you tap into a powerful network of peer influencers.
How to Attract Trend-Setters
Engage them across all relevant platforms, from Facebook and Twitter to Pinterest and Snapchat, tailoring your campaign to each.
Keep your messages short, sweet, and packed with information.
Never underestimate the power of design; high-quality images and sleek layouts are essential.
Incorporate video content, a preferred medium for half of all millennials.
Ensure your offerings resonate with their lifestyle, whether by solving a problem or introducing something novel.
Example to Emulate
Apple stands out for mastering the art of engaging trendy followers. Their mix of visually appealing content and innovative products has not only defined a generation but also built a vast and loyal customer base.
Sociable Followers
Did you know that 73% of people share content online to connect with those who have similar interests? Sociable followers embody the true spirit of social media – forging connections through shared interests. They’re drawn to content that sparks conversation, whether it’s worth a laugh, a debate, or a moment of nostalgia. Common platforms for these interactions include Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Engaging Conversation Starters
What grabs their attention? Content that serves as a conversation starter. Aim for pieces that are informative, interesting, and concise, making it easier for them to share and discuss.
Mixing in humor or a touch of controversy can spark even more engagement, as long as it remains relevant to their interests.
Content that fits into their daily conversations – be it tips for budget-friendly cooking, resume-building advice, or just entertaining tidbits for downtime – keeps these followers coming back for more.
Model Example
Buzzfeed nails this approach with its mix of compelling news, quizzes, videos, and humor. Their content is not just engaging; it’s tailor-made for sharing and sparking discussions among friends.
Attention Seekers
Whether they’re a guilty pleasure or a bit of an eye-roller, we all know a few attention seekers online. A notable 57% of millennials admit that their peers often use social media to capture attention and seek validation. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat – you name it, they’re there, sharing relentlessly to garner those precious ‘likes’ and comments.
For attention seekers, it’s all about crafting an image that earns them the spotlight, constantly chasing the next wave of online approval.
Winning Over Attention Seekers
To catch their eye, your content and interactions must be designed to stand out. Think content that’s bold, brash, and impossible to ignore.
Engage them with contests, visually striking photo and video challenges, or even content that edges into the controversial or shockingly unexpected.
A Case Study in Engagement
Coca-Cola’s #shareacoke campaign is a textbook example of how to engage this group. By inviting users to customize their own Coke bottles and share photos under the #shareacoke hashtag, Coca-Cola generated around 125,000 personalized posts, brilliantly capturing the attention of those always looking to stand out.
Choosy Followers
Meet the choosy followers: the antithesis of attention seekers. These users value their close relationships on social media over the quest for likes or followers. Their engagement with a brand comes from a genuine connection to its products, messaging, or content. For them, it’s all about the substance of the information, seeking only the most relevant and high-quality content that benefits either themselves or their network.
Connecting with Discerning Users
When reaching out to choosy followers, prioritize content that’s not just informative but backed by thorough research and actionable insights.
Ensure your content is straightforward, employing clear titles that directly communicate the value proposition. Support your assertions with credible statistics and data, but keep the presentation digestible.
Though a polished presentation with infographics and high-resolution images can enhance credibility, the real key to winning over this audience lies in the depth and accuracy of your information.
Conclusion
Building a social media following can feel like an uphill battle, but it’s far from impossible. Understanding the different types of potential followers allows you to tailor your approach, ensuring you’re not just accessible but also delivering content that truly resonates. This segmentation strategy is key to enhancing your social media presence effectively.
To elevate your social media strategy further, consider integrating on-site social media tools. This approach consolidates your social and business activities, simplifying how you monitor and engage with conversations about your brand. By keeping a close eye on these interactions, you can refine your strategy in real-time, ensuring your social media efforts are as effective as possible.
Welcome to another edition of Fresh Resources! This time, we’ve curated a mix of tools, libraries, and other fantastic resources for our fellow developers and designers.
Among the highlights, you’ll discover a tool that demystifies web accessibility, a groundbreaking library for Laravel that supports real-time communication, and innovative solutions for authentication. Let’s explore these gems together!
A11ySupport is a community-driven initiative designed to help developers understand how web features, especially aria-* attributes, perform on assistive technologies.
Think of it like CanIUse, offering detailed insights on the compatibility of HTML attributes with assistive devices. It also provides testing resources, covering a broad spectrum of technologies including JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.
JollyUI, inspired by the popular shadcn/ui React UI library and built atop React Aria components, offers an array of accessible, customizable website components.
From buttons to forms, navigation to overlays, effortlessly integrate these components into your projects for an enhanced user experience.
JSONCanvas revolutionizes how we organize and display information flows and flowcharts, all through the simplicity of JSON format. Originally created for Obsidian, it’s now compatible with a variety of applications, including Flowchart Fun and Mermaid. A great library to improve your project documentation or presentations.
Filament Versionable is a plugin for the Filament framework, designed to seamlessly integrate with the Laravel Versionable package. It simplifies adding revision capabilities to Eloquent models in Filament projects, allowing specified fields of models to be stored upon saving. This enables developers to easily revert models to any previous version.
OpenAlternative offers a comprehensive list of open-source alternatives for widely used software and services. Spanning various categories such as productivity tools, analytics, chat platforms, and CMS, it’s an invaluable resource for those preferring to use open-source software for greater control over their data and customization.
OTPInput is a streamlined React component that focuses on simplifying the creation of accessible one-time password (OTP) inputs. It’s fully customizable and comes unstyled, providing developers the flexibility to specify OTP length and apply custom styles to fit their React projects perfectly.
Daytona simplifies the process of setting up development environments across a variety of infrastructures.
Compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS, and supporting both x86 and ARM architectures, Daytona enhances collaboration and efficiency. It integrates smoothly with popular IDEs such as VSCode and JetBrains, offering features like multiple project workspaces and reverse proxy integration to boost productivity and teamwork.
Microcopy showcases a treasure trove of microcopy examples used in digital products. It’s a rich source of inspiration for crafting compelling headlines, error messages, and other UI texts, invaluable for designers and developers aiming to refine user experience with just the right words.
Stimulus Components offers a library of reusable components for the Stimulus framework. Designed to expedite front-end development, these components cover common UI and interaction patterns, facilitating a more efficient design process.
ParaglideJS is a cutting-edge Internationalization (i18n) library, perfectly integrating with frameworks like Next.js, Svelte, and Astro. Emphasizing ease of use and performance, it leverages treeshaking to ensure only the essential messages load, optimizing your page’s speed and file size.
Avatartion is an inventive tool for creating personalized, Notion-style avatars. Customize features from hair to outfit, making avatars perfect for your social media or app demos. As an open-source solution, it’s freely available for both personal and commercial use.
Canvas-size is a nimble JavaScript library that uncovers the maximum dimensions – area, height, and width – of HTML canvas elements across diverse browsers, yes, even Internet Explorer 10! Its lightweight nature, support for UMD and ESM modules, Web workers, and Offscreen canvas make it a powerhouse for optimizing speed. Ideal for developers keen on harnessing canvases while ensuring cross-browser compatibility.
Tempest Highlight, a swift PHP-based code highlighting solution, shines with support for multiple languages including PHP, HTML, Blade, SQL, and CSS. Its custom syntax and tags enable tailored highlighting styles. An exemplary choice for those seeking a fast, open-source, and free alternative to tools like Torchlight or Shiki.
OTPHP streamlines the creation and management of one-time passwords (OTPs), adhering to the RFC 4226 and RFC 6238 standards for HOTP and TOTP algorithms. It’s a boon for setting up secure authentication methods in sync with Google Authenticator and other similar apps, enhancing security with minimal development effort.
FullSiteEditing is your guide to the Full Site Editing feature in WordPress, offering a fresh way to customize entire websites directly in the block editor. Dive into tutorials and resources to unlock the full potential of FSE for creating dynamic, tailor-made WordPress sites.
CookieConsent is a user-friendly JavaScript library that simplifies the addition of GDPR-compliant cookie consent banners to your site. Tailor the banner’s design and functionality to seamlessly blend with your site’s aesthetics while keeping users informed on cookie usage.
Laravel Reverb, a Laravel-crafted WebSocket server, enriches applications with real-time communication capabilities. Perfectly integrated within the Laravel ecosystem, it synergizes with tools like Forge and Pulse. Open-source and navigable via Artisan commands, it’s an indispensable tool for enhancing app interactivity.
JSON-to-PHP simplifies the transformation of JSON data into PHP code. Just input any JSON object or array, and voilà, it generates the PHP equivalent. This tool is a boon for developers needing to seamlessly bridge JSON and PHP, especially when managing extensive datasets.
Dive into Symfony fundamentals through a comprehensive tutorial series in Symfony 7 Screencasts. Covering everything from the basics to advanced techniques like Twig templating, debugging, and creating JSON APIs, this series is perfect for newcomers and seasoned developers alike seeking to enhance their Symfony skills.
Runtime Compat offers invaluable insights into JavaScript API compatibility across Node.js, Deno, Browsers, and Bun. It is similar to CanIUse in which it provides implementation status of native JavaScript APIs like Response, Storage, and TextEncoder in different runtime environments.
Many modern websites give users the power to set a site-specific color scheme preference. A basic implementation is straightforward with JavaScript: listen for when a user changes a checkbox or clicks a button, toggle a class (or attribute) on the <body> element in response, and write the styles for that class to override design with a different color scheme.
CSS’s new :has() pseudo-class, supported by major browsers since December 2023, opens many doors for front-end developers. I’m especially excited about leveraging it to modify UI in response to user interaction without JavaScript. Where previously we have used JavaScript to toggle classes or attributes (or to set styles directly), we can now pair :has() selectors with HTML’s native interactive elements.
Supporting a color scheme preference, like “Dark Mode,” is a great use case. We can use a <select> element anywhere that toggles color schemes based on the selected <option> — no JavaScript needed, save for a sprinkle to save the user’s choice, which we’ll get to further in.
Respecting System Preferences
First, we’ll support a user’s system-wide color scheme preferences by adopting a “Light Mode”-first approach. In other words, we start with a light color scheme by default and swap it out for a dark color scheme for users who prefer it.
The prefers-color-scheme media feature detects the user’s system preference. Wrap “dark” styles in a prefers-color-scheme: dark media query.
Next, set the color-scheme property to match the preferred color scheme. Setting color-scheme: dark switches the browser into its built-in dark mode, which includes a black default background, white default text, “dark” styles for scrollbars, and other elements that are difficult to target with CSS, and more. I’m using CSS variables to hint that the value is dynamic — and because I like the browser developer tools experience — but plain color-scheme: light and color-scheme: dark would work fine.
:root {
/* light styles here */
color-scheme: var(--color-scheme, light);
/* system preference is "dark" */
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
--color-scheme: dark;
/* any additional dark styles here */
}
}
Giving Users Control
Now, to support overriding the system preference, let users choose between light (default) and dark color schemes at the page level.
HTML has native elements for handling user interactions. Using one of those controls, rather than, say, a <div> nest, improves the chances that assistive tech users will have a good experience. I’ll use a <select> menu with options for “system,” “light,” and “dark.” A group of <input type="radio"> would work, too, if you wanted the options right on the surface instead of a dropdown menu.
Before CSS gained :has(), responding to the user’s selected <option> required JavaScript, for example, setting an event listener on the <select> to toggle a class or attribute on <html> or <body>.
But now that we have :has(), we can now do this with CSS alone! You’ll save spending any of your performance budget on a dark mode script, plus the control will work even for users who have disabled JavaScript. And any “no-JS” folks on the project will be satisfied.
What we need is a selector that applies to the page when it :has() a select menu with a particular [value]:checked. Let’s translate that into CSS:
:root:has(select option[value="dark"]:checked)
We’re defaulting to a light color scheme, so it’s enough to account for two possible dark color scheme scenarios:
The page-level color preference is “system,” and the system-level preference is “dark.”
The page-level color preference is “dark”.
The first one is a page-preference-aware iteration of our prefers-color-scheme: dark case. A “dark” system-level preference is no longer enough to warrant dark styles; we need a “dark” system-level preference and a “follow the system-level preference” at the page-level preference. We’ll wrap the prefers-color-scheme media query dark scheme styles with the :has() selector we just wrote:
:root {
/* light styles here */
color-scheme: var(--color-scheme, light);
/* page preference is "system", and system preference is "dark" */
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
&:has(#color-scheme option[value="system"]:checked) {
--color-scheme: dark;
/* any additional dark styles, again */
}
}
}
Notice that I’m using CSS Nesting in that last snippet. Baseline 2023 has it pegged as “Newly available across major browsers” which means support is good, but at the time of writing, support on Android browsers not included in Baseline’s core browser set is limited. You can get the same result without nesting.
:root {
/* light styles */
color-scheme: var(--color-scheme, light);
/* page preference is "dark" */
&:has(#color-scheme option[value="dark"]:checked) {
--color-scheme: dark;
/* any additional dark styles */
}
}
For the second dark mode scenario, we’ll use nearly the exact same :has() selector as we did for the first scenario, this time checking whether the “dark” option — rather than the “system” option — is selected:
:root {
/* light styles */
color-scheme: var(--color-scheme, light);
/* page preference is "dark" */
&:has(#color-scheme option[value="dark"]:checked) {
--color-scheme: dark;
/* any additional dark styles */
}
/* page preference is "system", and system preference is "dark" */
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
&:has(#color-scheme option[value="system"]:checked) {
--color-scheme: dark;
/* any additional dark styles, again */
}
}
}
Now the page’s styles respond to both changes in users’ system settings and user interaction with the page’s color preference UI — all with CSS!
But the colors change instantly. Let’s smooth the transition.
Respecting Motion Preferences
Instantaneous style changes can feel inelegant in some cases, and this is one of them. So, let’s apply a CSS transition on the :root to “ease” the switch between color schemes. (Transition styles at the :root will cascade down to the rest of the page, which may necessitate adding transition: none or other transition overrides.)
Note that the CSS color-scheme property does not support transitions.
:root {
transition-duration: 200ms;
transition-property: /* properties changed by your light/dark styles */;
}
Not all users will consider the addition of a transition a welcome improvement. Querying the prefers-reduced-motion media feature allows us to account for a user’s motion preferences. If the value is set to reduce, then we remove the transition-duration to eliminate unwanted motion.
:root {
transition-duration: 200ms;
transition-property: /* properties changed by your light/dark styles */;
@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
transition-duration: none;
}
}
Transitions can also produce poor user experiences on devices that render changes slowly, for example, ones with e-ink screens. We can extend our “no motion condition” media query to account for that with the update media feature. If its value is slow, then we remove the transition-duration.
:root {
transition-duration: 200ms;
transition-property: /* properties changed by your light/dark styles */;
@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce), (update: slow) {
transition-duration: 0s;
}
}
Let’s try out what we have so far in the following demo. Notice that, to work around color-scheme’s lack of transition support, I’ve explicitly styled the properties that should transition during theme changes.
Not bad! But what happens if the user refreshes the pages or navigates to another page? The reload effectively wipes out the user’s form selection, forcing the user to re-make the selection. That may be acceptable in some contexts, but it’s likely to go against user expectations. Let’s bring in JavaScript for a touch of progressive enhancement in the form of…
Persistence
Here’s a vanilla JavaScript implementation. It’s a naive starting point — the functions and variables aren’t encapsulated but are instead properties on window. You’ll want to adapt this in a way that fits your site’s conventions, framework, library, and so on.
When the user changes the color scheme from the <select> menu, we’ll store the selected <option> value in a new localStorage item called "preferredColorScheme". On subsequent page loads, we’ll check localStorage for the "preferredColorScheme" item. If it exists, and if its value corresponds to one of the form control options, we restore the user’s preference by programmatically updating the menu selection.
/*
* If a color scheme preference was previously stored,
* select the corresponding option in the color scheme preference UI
* unless it is already selected.
*/
function restoreColorSchemePreference() {
const colorScheme = localStorage.getItem(colorSchemeStorageItemName);
if (!colorScheme) {
// There is no stored preference to restore
return;
}
const option = colorSchemeSelectorEl.querySelector(`[value=${colorScheme}]`);
if (!option) {
// The stored preference has no corresponding option in the UI.
localStorage.removeItem(colorSchemeStorageItemName);
return;
}
if (option.selected) {
// The stored preference's corresponding menu option is already selected
return;
}
option.selected = true;
}
/*
* Store an event target's value in localStorage under colorSchemeStorageItemName
*/
function storeColorSchemePreference({ target }) {
const colorScheme = target.querySelector(":checked").value;
localStorage.setItem(colorSchemeStorageItemName, colorScheme);
}
// The name under which the user's color scheme preference will be stored.
const colorSchemeStorageItemName = "preferredColorScheme";
// The color scheme preference front-end UI.
const colorSchemeSelectorEl = document.querySelector("#color-scheme");
if (colorSchemeSelectorEl) {
restoreColorSchemePreference();
// When the user changes their color scheme preference via the UI,
// store the new preference.
colorSchemeSelectorEl.addEventListener("input", storeColorSchemePreference);
}
Let’s try that out. Open this demo (perhaps in a new window), use the menu to change the color scheme, and then refresh the page to see your preference persist:
If your system color scheme preference is “light” and you set the demo’s color scheme to “dark,” you may get the light mode styles for a moment immediately after reloading the page before the dark mode styles kick in. That’s because CodePen loads its own JavaScript before the demo’s scripts. That is out of my control, but you can take care to improve this persistence on your projects.
Persistence Performance Considerations
Where things can get tricky is restoring the user’s preference immediately after the page loads. If the color scheme preference in localStorage is different from the user’s system-level color scheme preference, it’s possible the user will see the system preference color scheme before the page-level preference is restored. (Users who have selected the “System” option will never get that flash; neither will those whose system settings match their selected option in the form control.)
If your implementation is showing a “flash of inaccurate color theme”, where is the problem happening? Generally speaking, the earlier the scripts appear on the page, the lower the risk. The “best option” for you will depend on your specific stack, of course.
What About Browsers That Don’t Support :has()?
All major browsers support :has() today Lean into modern platforms if you can. But if you do need to consider legacy browsers, like Internet Explorer, there are two directions you can go: either hide or remove the color scheme picker for those browsers or make heavier use of JavaScript.
If you consider color scheme support itself a progressive enhancement, you can entirely hide the selection UI in browsers that don’t support :has():
@supports not selector(:has(body)) {
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
:root {
/* dark styles here */
}
}
#color-scheme {
display: none;
}
}
Otherwise, you’ll need to rely on a JavaScript solution not only for persistence but for the core functionality. Go back to that traditional event listener toggling a class or attribute.
The CSS-Tricks “Complete Guide to Dark Mode” details several alternative approaches that you might consider as well when working on the legacy side of things.
Ever been stopped in your tracks by the ‘We found a problem with some content in Excel‘ error message? This annoyance can appear without warning, often when you’re deeply engaged with your spreadsheets. Identifying the right fix can be a hassle, given the multitude of potential causes.
But fret not! In this guide, we look into the most frequent culprits of the said error and offer detailed, step-by-step remedies for various situations where this problem might arise.
Keep reading to discover how to get back to your work with minimal disruption.
Why ‘We Found a Problem With Some Content in Excel’ Error Occurs?
Before learning how to fix ‘We found a problem with some content in Excel‘ error it’s crucial to know reasons behind its occurrence. So, you can solve it accordingly.
Here are some of the common cause:
Corrupted data – If any data in your Excel file gets corrupted, such as formulas or formatting, it can result in logical errors. Malware or missing headers can also corrupt your Excel document.
Application malfunction – Excel errors may occur if MS Excel itself is corrupted or if third-party plugins are malfunctioning.
Broken links – Old links in Excel file pointing to removed or renamed entities can cause link-related issues.
Other issues – Problems with system storage or security applications may prevent Excel from loading documents.
Fixing the ‘We Found a Problem With Some Content in Excel’ Error with 4DDiG File Repair
To efficiently tackle the ‘We found a problem with some content in Excel‘ issue, 4DDiG File Repair stands out as one dependable solution. This tool eliminates the need for manual interventions by automatically rectifying a variety of Excel errors, including those stemming from severe corruption. It’s capable of retrieving content from spreadsheets that appear garbled or damaged.
Features offered by this tool:
Repairs Office files that are corrupted, damaged, or unreadable, including Excel files.
Recovers tables, formulas, charts, pivot tables, and more to their original state.
Addresses issues with Excel spreadsheets that fail to open or show distorted content.
Supports numerous Excel file formats, such as .xlsx, .xlsm, among others.
Ensures quick scanning and boasts a high rate of success.
Compatible with various Excel versions, from older editions to the latest.
Follow these steps to fix the error using 4DDiG File Repair:
Download and install 4DDiG File Repair on your computer and launch it. Click “File Repair” and select “Add File(s)” to add the Excel file in question.
After your Excel file is added, hit “Start Repair” to initiate the scanning for errors.
Once the scan and repair are complete, click “View Results” to examine the repaired Excel file or files. If satisfied, select “Export” to save the fixed file to your computer.
Alternatives Ways to Fix The Error
In addition to utilizing 4DDiG File Repair, several manual techniques can be employed to fix the ‘We found a problem with some content in Excel‘ error, depending on the nature of the problem. If the issue isn’t overly complex, you might find success with one of the following six solutions:
1. Use the Open and Repair Feature
The error can appear due to minor glitches or inconsistencies in the workbook. Such issues could arise from interruptions during file saving, transferring, network problems, or slight corruptions.
Excel’s built-in “Open and Repair” function is designed to automatically identify and resolve these minor issues, thereby restoring access to the workbook.
Here’s how to do it:
Launch “Excel“, go to “File” and select “Open“.
Click “Browse“, locate the folder with the Excel file showing the ‘Excel, we found a problem with some content‘ error, and select it. Use the dropdown arrow next to “Open” and choose “Open and Repair“.
If this approach is successful, save the corrected file under a new name to preserve the original.
2. Switch Calculation Options to Manual
The automatic calculation feature in Excel can sometimes trigger the error, especially if the application freezes or struggles with a complex formula being calculated automatically.
An easy workaround for the ‘Excel, we found a problem with some content’ error is to disable automatic calculation.
To do this, follow the steps below:
Open “Excel“, navigate to “File” and select “New” to create a new blank workbook.
Then, return to “File” and choose “Options“.
Click on “Formulas” and under “Calculation options“, change from “Automatic” to “Manual“. Click “OK“.
Go back to “File” and select “Open” to try accessing the problematic Excel worksheet again. Check if it opens without the ‘We found a problem with some content in xlsx‘ error.
3. Create a New Excel Document
Occasionally, the error might also be due to altered settings or compatibility issues within a specific worksheet. This situation can be frustrating as it prevents access to vital data. A straightforward solution is to copy the affected data into a new Excel document.
Here’s a simple guide:
Open the problematic Excel file, select the necessary content, and use Ctrl + C to copy it.
Navigate to “Menu“, select “File“, and then choose “New” to create a new Excel sheet.
Paste the copied content into the new worksheet using Ctrl + V, then save it in a new location under a different name.
4. Disable Links and External References in the Excel File
Issues with external links or references, especially those that have been removed or renamed, can trigger the ‘Excel, we found a problem with some content‘ error. Removing these links can solve the problem.
Follow these steps:
Open the Excel file in question, go to “Data“, and then “Edit Links“.
A dialog box will appear, listing all links in your workbook. Identify the ones you wish to edit or delete.
To modify a link, click “Change Source” and locate the new source file. To remove a link, select it and click “Break Link“. After making the necessary changes, close the window and save your Excel document.
5. Open Excel File in Safe Mode
A potential culprit for the error is a problematic third-party add-in. Safe Mode can help identify the troublesome add-in by starting Excel with default settings, which disables certain extensions automatically.
To solve it using Safe Mode, follow these steps:
Press Windows + R to open the “Run” dialogue, type excel -safe, and press Enter. Excel will open in Safe Mode.
Navigate to “File“, select “Options“, and then go to the “Add-ins” tab.
Choose “COM Add-ins” from the dropdown menu and click “Go“.
Deselect all checkboxes and click “OK“. Restart Excel and re-enable add-ins one at a time until you encounter the ‘Excel, we found a problem with some content‘ error again. Remove the problematic add-in.
6. Open Excel File in Another Program
Opening the error Excel file in an alternative spreadsheet application like Google Sheets can be a workaround. Google Sheets may correct minor errors within the file and also enables you to edit tables directly in your browser or save the Excel file as an XLSX document.
If the problematic Excel file functions correctly in Google Sheets, it’s possible that the file association settings in Windows are incorrect, which could be causing the issue.
Conclusion
The ‘We found a problem with some content in Excel‘ error can severely disrupt your workflow, potentially causing loss of data or work stoppage. Our suggested seven solutions aim to address and resolve this issue effectively.
For a comprehensive solution to all Excel file issues, including severe corruption or unreadable files, consider using 4DDiG File Repair. It offers a high success rate in fixing Excel files that are not opening or are displaying content incorrectly, and it supports both older and newer versions of Excel.
I’ve recently had to send my printer for repairs due to a persistent “phantom paper jam” issue. Once fixed, the service center offered some valuable maintenance tips to prevent future problems. I thought sharing these directly from the experts might help others keep their printers in top shape.
For context, my experience is with the Epson EcoTank L6460 inkjet printer.
What Are Phantom Paper Jams?
Have you ever had your printer stop working, claiming there’s a paper jam when you can’t see any paper stuck at all? This is known as a phantom paper jam.
It’s really annoying because it stops all your printing but looks like there’s nothing wrong. Sometimes, the culprit can be tiny bits of paper or other small stuff hiding inside your printer. A good look inside, maybe with the help of a flashlight, can sometimes fix the problem.
How to Clear Paper Jams from the Rear Cover
Follow these steps to remove any jammed paper from the rear of your printer:
Press the buttons to release the rear cover and then take it off your printer.
Gently remove any jammed paper you find inside.
Don’t forget to check the duplexer for jams as well.
Open the duplexer cover, carefully remove any stuck paper, and then close it back up.
Finally, reattach the rear cover to your printer.
If you’ve checked everywhere and still can’t find anything, like what happened to me, the issue might be with the printer’s paper sensor. When this happens, it’s probably time to take your printer to a service center so the experts can have a look.
Maintaining Your Printer
To make sure your printer stays in tip-top shape, here are some easy-to-follow tips:
Use plain paper of at least 80 GSM. Avoid paper with punched holes, crumpled sheets, or sticky media to prevent jams.
Keep the rear paper support tray away from the wall to avoid interference.
Extend the front tray properly so documents lay flat, reducing jam risks.
At the end of the day, remove paper from the tray and store it flat to prevent curling.
Perform a nozzle check weekly to ensure ink flow and prevent clogs across all colors: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow.
To print a nozzle check (procedure varies by brand and model):
For Epson users, install the printer driver on your PC. Then, navigate through Control Panel > Devices and Printers > right-click on your printer > select Printing Preferences > Maintenance > Nozzle Check.
If the nozzle check prints with missing colors, lines, or breaks, it indicates compromised print quality. Proceed to perform a head cleaning by selecting Maintenance > Head Cleaning and follow the on-screen instructions.
If the nozzle check is clear, no further cleaning is needed.
Epson Printers with LCD Panels
For printers with an LCD panel, choose Maintenance > Nozzle Check directly.
Epson Mobile Apps
Using mobile apps (Epson iPrint (iOS / Android) or Epson Smart Panel (iOS, Android), connect your printer, tap on your printer model, then go to Maintenance > Nozzle Check.
If you encounter problems you can’t resolve, contacting support is always the best course of action. Hopefully, these tips will help you maintain your printer’s performance and avoid those pesky paper jams!
Whether you’re in it for the long haul or frequently trading your stocks, it’s crucial to keep tabs on your stock portfolio.
This isn’t just about keeping track of what’s in your investment basket; it’s about deeply understanding how your investments are performing, making informed decisions based on this insight, and navigating towards your financial goals.
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect place to get a comprehensive overview of your investments, or if you’re just curious about the tools available, here are some options you might want to consider.
Quicken Classic is a comprehensive financial management tool that enables users to manage their investments alongside other financial accounts. Its investment tracking component is robust, offering features such as performance tracking, portfolio x-ray, and comparison to market benchmarks.
Quicken Classic’s dashboard provides a detailed view of your investments, including asset allocation, market value, and performance over time.
Additionally, it integrates with brokerage accounts to update your portfolio in real time, making it easier to stay on top of your investments.
It works on both Mac and Windows, however, it’s not free. The Deluxe version of the app starts at $4.97/month, and the Premier version starts at $5.99 per month.
Google Sheets, which most of us are already very familiar with, is not just a powerful and flexible cloud-based spreadsheet tool. When customized correctly, it can be effectively used for tracking stock portfolios by leveraging the GOOGLEFINANCE function.
It allows users to import real-time market data, create custom formulas, and analyze their portfolio’s performance.
We have previously written a post on how you can use Google Sheets to track your portfolio, where you can include your stock’s name, buy price, and shares owned, and the sheet will automatically calculate your total cost and profit/loss for you.
Alternatively, if you are not looking to create one, there are also free Google Sheet templates online that you can duplicate and use as your own.
Personal Capital by Empower is a financial management tool that combines investment tracking with wealth management services.
Its desktop platform offers an easy-to-navigate dashboard where investors can monitor their investments, check their portfolio’s performance, and see their asset allocation. Personal Capital stands out for its comprehensive approach to wealth management, providing tools for retirement planning, savings, and investment advice, making it suitable for investors looking for an all-in-one solution.
Morningstar’s Legacy Portfolio Manager is a desktop tool that allows investors to track their portfolios’ performance, view detailed asset allocation, and analyze investments against Morningstar’s database of mutual funds, stocks, and ETFs.
It provides in-depth reports, including star ratings for funds, making it a valuable tool for investors looking to dive deep into portfolio analysis and make data-driven decisions.
However, this tool is not free. It offers a 7-day free trial, after which the cost is $34.95 per month or $249 per year.
E*TRADE, primarily known for its brokerage services, also offers a sophisticated desktop platform for portfolio tracking and management.
The E*TRADE platform features real-time quotes, interactive charts, and a suite of analytical tools designed to help investors make informed decisions. Its portfolio analysis tools allow users to monitor their investment performance, assess risks, and understand the tax implications of their portfolios.
E*TRADE is particularly great for those who already have an E*TRADE brokerage account.
Robinhood has, in its own way, revolutionized how people invest. It offers commission-free trades and a user-friendly interface that attracts both beginners and seasoned investors. For its users, Robinhood isn’t just about trading. It also provides portfolio tracking tools, including real-time market data, personalized news feeds, and the ability to watch how your investments perform over time. Its simplicity and ease of use have made Robinhood a go-to option for those just starting with investing. However, it’s also important to note that Robinhood’s approach to commission-free trading has its critics and has stirred some debate among its users.
TD Ameritrade’s mobile app is packed with features to enhance your trading experience. You’ll find customizable charts to track the market trends that matter most to you, in-depth research reports to inform your investment decisions, and live financial news streaming to keep you up to date.
Whether you’re keeping an eye on your investments, analyzing your portfolio’s performance, or trading stocks, options, and ETFs, everything you need is right at your fingertips, all through your mobile device.
E*TRADE, as we’ve mentioned before in our discussion about the desktop app, also offers a mobile version that mirrors many of the desktop platform’s features.
This includes access to real-time quotes, interactive charts, and the convenience of mobile check deposit. Essentially, it allows you to manage your investments with the same ease whether you’re on a desktop or on the go.
If you have an E*TRADE account, you can keep an eye on your portfolio, delve into stock research, and place trades right from your phone. ETRADE Mobile doesn’t stop there; it also provides educational resources designed to demystify the market and guide you towards smarter investment choices.
Yahoo Finance is definitely one of our favorites for keeping up with stock news and prices. Not just content with being a website, Yahoo Finance extends its services through a handy app.
This app is your go-to for tracking stocks, commodities, and currencies. It even lets you input your investment portfolio to monitor its performance seamlessly.
On top of that, you can also customize watchlists, oversee how your investments are doing, and see how they stack up against broader market indices. And the cherry on top? Yahoo Finance is completely free!
Last but certainly not least, we have Acorns. This app offers stock tracking, with a special focus on micro-investing and portfolio management.
It’s pretty ingenious; Acorns rounds up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invests that spare change into a diversified portfolio. Beyond just tracking the performance of your investments, Acorns is packed with educational content aimed at expanding your financial know-how.
Seems like a tall order, but fostering a bond with readers in just one post is all in a day’s work for a skilled freelance content writer. Our mission, ambitious as it may appear, is to grab a stranger’s attention and nurture that connection, turning them into a friend, a keen learner, an admirer, a student, a patron, or perhaps a mix of these roles.
For many budding writers diving into freelance writing, the big question is “How?” How do we craft content that can transform readers in ways they never imagined possible within a mere 1000 words? Step one: captivate them from the get-go.
“…said the spider to the fly.” The challenge of grabbing someone’s attention and keeping them engaged long enough to click through is arguably the toughest hurdle in freelance writing.
Why? Because you’re often working with just 12 words or 70 characters. Go beyond, and search engines might bury your content. Visibility is key, and that starts with making a strong first impression.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is vital to any successful blogging campaign. Therefore it should be implemented in the… Read more
Creating Captivating Titles and Intros
Search engine results display just the first 70 characters of your title. Though the entire title is indexed, even if it spans 1000 characters, only the initial 70 make it to the preview. It’s crucial, then, to make your point clear within this limited space.
One of the hardest bit about maintaining a blog is to stand out of the crowded blogging landscape,… Read more
Positioning your main keyword at the start of the title boosts its ranking, assuming your content is SEO-optimized. Early keyword placement is key.
A title that manages to rank well must be engaging, clear, and compelling to ensure the searcher’s attention is captured. Incorporating the search term early not only helps in drawing them in but also in keeping them engaged.
Establishing Immediate Rapport
Having caught your reader’s attention, the next step is to quickly build a connection. It’s essential for readers to feel at ease with your voice and style. Often writing on behalf of others, freelancers must convey authenticity as if they’re sharing their own insights.
Key to this is confidence and clarity. Your writing should communicate not just as a content creator, but as the authority on the subject matter, offering knowledge and reliability.
Master web writing and boost audience reading with our with these tips. Making online content creation easy for… Read more
Sparking Interest with Trends
Even when topics aren’t inherently captivating, it’s your challenge to discover and highlight their trendy aspects. Excelling as a writer means being adept at presenting any subject in an engaging light, finding the angle that resonates with public interest.
The trick lies in viewing the topic from various perspectives and identifying what the audience finds valuable. Once the appeal is clear, illustrating its benefits and solutions becomes straightforward, making even the most mundane topics intriguing.
I’m not surprised to find out that people are reading less. There is so much more happening elsewhere,… Read more
Cultivating Trust Through Confidence
Writing confidently is crucial for fostering trust between you and readers seeking guidance. Solid research backs up the freelance writer’s ability to add value, ensuring that the audience gains from their visit to your site or blog.
The foundation of trust is laid in the very first paragraph. After drawing the reader in with a compelling title, the opening sentences must be informative and robust enough to retain their attention. This is your chance to make a bold promise about the value your article will deliver, establishing a relationship of trust from the outset.
Building Credibility with Depth
Detailed research is vital for reinforcing trust by establishing your credibility. Offering unique, interesting facts that readers won’t find just anywhere elevates your status as an expert. It’s about providing that extra something that they can’t get from anyone else.
Uncovering those unique, verifiable insights and backing them up with reputable sources shows your readers they need not only the product or service you’re writing about but also your guidance and expertise.
Embracing Flexibility in Your Writing
The secret to authoritative writing is knowing how to flexibly apply writing rules without compromising their integrity. This is where your unique voice shines through, transforming standard information into engaging narratives. It’s about adding personality to your prose, making it resonate as though you’re conversing with the reader directly.
By skillfully bending the rules without breaking them, you cultivate a style that’s both informative and engaging, akin to advice from a knowledgeable friend. This approach not only enriches your content but also makes it more relatable and trustworthy to your audience.
Unleashing Your Creative License
Creative license isn’t about distorting facts but about presenting them through your unique lens. It’s an honest interpretation, your take on truths laid out by others, crafted into a narrative that speaks directly to your readers.
This personalized storytelling makes each piece feel like a one-on-one conversation, a letter to a cherished friend. It’s this use of creative freedom that readers adore, drawing them closer to your content and perspective.
Concluding with Impact: Your Call to Action
Mastery of the call to action is a craft honed over years, essential for transitioning smoothly from trusted authority to persuasive advocate. The art lies in weaving this call seamlessly into your narrative, maintaining the authentic voice that has guided the reader thus far.
Abrupt shifts in tone risk alienating your audience, undoing the rapport you’ve built. Thus, every piece of advice, every trend highlighted, and every fact shared culminates in a call to action that resonates with sincerity and confidence, echoing the trustworthiness of the entire piece.
Are You Ready to Make a Difference?
Armed with insights into content creation, do you feel equipped to build your own loyal readership? This journey demands confidence, authority, and a genuine connection with your subject matter, underpinned by thorough research.
If you embrace these principles, readers will come to see you as the go-to expert in your field, eagerly anticipating your take on topics within your niche. Now, step forward with confidence and start forging those vital connections.
Project management is a complex process that requires extensive planning, task assignments, deadline assessments, and more. It is almost impossible to manage all these without some help where modern tools come to the rescue.
As it is important to have the right tools, so choosing one can be a daunting task. In this write-up, I will introduce you to 10 of the best project management tools for businesses that can help you manage your projects more easily and efficiently.
Monday.com is an online project management tool that helps teams to track their projects and stay on top of deadlines. It provides a centralized place for teams to plan projects, collaborate, share files, and communicate efficiently.
It also provides an AI-powered chatbot that can automate tasks like setting up meetings, scheduling tasks, and updating task statuses.
Monday.com offers multiple views like kanban boards, Gantt charts, etc. like other tools on this list.
Its customizable forms and project approval automations improve productivity. Its templates help you speed up creating repeatable project resources and structures. Moreover, its dashboards help monitor performance and make project decisions effectively.
Monday.com’s Price: (Offers free plan)
monday.com has a more complex pricing structure than most other tools here. Its Free plan offers bare minimum for 2 members.
The Basic Plan for $9 /seat/month offers unlimited projects and a dashboard.
Both Standard and Pro Plan go for $12 and $20 /seat/month, respectively, offer more features, and the Enterprise plan offers more power for enterprises.
Wrike is yet another project management software that makes it easy for teams to collaborate and get work done. It has all the features of a typical project management tool, but what sets it apart is that it can integrate with other applications and services.
This allows you to create custom workflows and automate tasks, saving teams time and improving efficiency.
Wrike provides a 360-overview of all the projects in a list, kanban board, Gantt chart, or time log per your preference, as well as detailed reports about your team’s time spent, deadlines, and critical path analysis, which helps you make strategic decisions about allocating resources.
On top of that, Wrike also offers automated workflows and customisable forms to speed up repetitive work.
Wrike’s Price: (Offers free plan)
Wrike offers a free plan offering common features along with Work Schedules.
Other plans include Professional plan that goes for $9.80 /user/month, Business plan costing $24.80 /user/month with most features like custom fields and workflows, Automation Engine, project approvals, time tracking, and more.
Its Enterprise plan meets extra demands like Single Sign-On (SSO) and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
ClickUp is an all-in-one project management tool that provides a collaborative workspace for team members with modular add-ons called ClickApps. Its comprehensive set of features includes task management, file sharing, time tracking, and invoicing.
Though I find ClickUp to be more complex than some other tools like Trello, it does, however, offer some advanced features that any project manager or team would need.
The user interface is clean and easy to navigate with the capability to add extra features through its apps like Email, Milestones, LineUp, Task View, etc.
ClickUp’s Price: (Offers free plan)
ClickUp offers a free plan that meets most requirements of individuals and small teams looking for a simple project management tool.
Its Unlimited plan cost $9 /member/month, offers a lot more charts, integrations, and storage.
The Business and Business Plus goes for $19 and $29 /member/month, respectively, offer more features targeted towards enterprises like advanced automation, Single Sign-On (SSO), etc.
Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-like project management tool that helps teams track, plan, and collaborate on projects. So, if you like Excel, you will feel right at home with Smartsheet.
The platform offers features for team collaboration, project management, project scheduling, resource allocation, and task management. You can also create templates for repeatable tasks to save time.
Smartsheet offers useful features like workflow automation, task visualization, and more in calendar and Gantt chart views. You can also create and share templates, assign tasks, update status, and upload files. Its integrations for popular business and team apps work wonders, helping you to boost productivity while following the agile project management approach.
Smartsheet’s Price: (No free plan)
Smartsheet does not have a free plan.
Its Pro plan costs $7 /user/month and offers unlimited dashboards and reports, calendar and Gantt charts, automation rules, and more.
Business plan costing $25 /user/month offers more automation, proofing, custom branding, etc.
Enterprise plan offers more like Smartsheet Advance, Single Sign-On (SSO), domain sharing, Work Insights, etc.
Zoho Projects — one of the offerings from Zoho — is a project management tool designed to help teams collaborate, organize, and manage projects efficiently. It offers features such as task management, resource management, time tracking, project reporting, and file sharing.
Zoho Projects offers a variety of views like Gantt charts, kanban boards, etc. It features various collaboration tools, including real-time chat, Google Docs-like document editing, and video conferencing.
It also supports project budgeting, which along with its integration with Zoho Books and Zoho CRM helps you complete projects successfully within budget and on deadline.
Zoho Projects’ Price: (Offers free plan)
Zoho Projects Free plan allows 2 projects and 3 users with basic features — two features hardly available in other tools’ free plans.
Premium plan costs $5 /user/month offers unlimited projects, custom views, and automation options.
Enterprise plan costs $10 /user/month offers custom fields, custom roles, SSO, and more enterprise-ready features.
Trello is a leading project management and collaboration tool that helps teams organize their work, set priorities, and stay on track. It offers an intuitive interface with a kanban board layout that lets you drag and drop cards to update task status quickly.
Users can also add checklists, attachments, labels, and comments to cards to add detailed information about the tasks.
One of my favorite features is custom fields, which enable adding extra data to cards. If you add automation with custom fields, it supercharges your task boards.
Though Trello started as a kanban board last decade, now it offers more views like dashboard, timeline, calendar, etc. However, it lacks advanced project management features like email integration, milestones, etc., unlike ClickUp.
Trello’s Price: (Offers free plan)
Trello has a simpler and more affordable pricing structure than ClickUp. It provides a free plan with the bare minimum to get started.
The Standard and Premium plans cost $6 and $12.50 /user/month, respectively, add extra options like unlimited boards, custom fields, unlimited storage, and more, and its Enterprise plan costs $17.50 /user/month if billed annually.
Asana is another popular project management tool that allows users to set up projects, assign tasks, and keep track of their progress.
The app is designed to be easy to use and helps people keep track of tasks and deadlines. Users can also set due dates and attach files, and it features approval rules and workflows.
Asana provides a simple kanban board and a to-do list as well as templates for common projects such as marketing campaigns or software development projects. It has a clean interface and also features various integrations and custom fields and forms for automation.
Asana’s Price: (Offers free plan)
Asana offers a free plan that should suffice the project management needs of small businesses.
The Premium and Business plans cost $13.49 and $30.49 /user/month, respectively, with additional features like workflow builder, unlimited reporting, admin console, and more.
You can also get a customized Enterprise plan with support for SSO.
Teamwork is a kanban-based project management suite offering advanced reporting features — all within the same kanban board-like intuitive interface as Trello. Its Workload feature helps manage resources and identify risks at the outset of projects to get better prepared for completing projects.
Teamwork offers kanban boards like many agile-based project management tools and features like dependencies and milestones and a portfolio view to visualize the complete project.
It also supports integrations with popular third-party tools for tracking time, invoicing, and more. Interestingly, it also supports custom branding, custom domain, and more.
Teamwork’s Price: (Offers free plan)
The Free plan works for 5 users, comes with basic features.
Deliver and Grow plans costing $12.50 and $22.50 /user/month, respectively, offer invoicing, team chat, extended kanban boards, table view, and more.
Its Scale plan offers more though I could not find SSO or other enterprise features.
MeisterTask is a project management tool that allows organizations to assign and manage tasks and track their progress. Its features include an activity dashboard, custom fields, backlog management, and file sharing between team members. It is as visually appealing as popular tools like Trello though its revision management interface can be improved.
MeisterTask includes kanban boards, gantt charts, timelines, dashboards, and more for agile teams. You can add attachments and checklists to tasks, set dependencies and relationships, and more using its easy-to-use interface.
It also supports automation and recurring tasks like many other tools on this list, along with detailed reports and statistics, which help improve productivity.
MeisterTask’s Price: (Offers free plan)
Surprisingly, MeisterTask has one of the cheapest plans on this list.
Its Basic plan is free for up to 3 projects and limited integrations.
Pro and Business plans goes for $8.25 and $12.49 /user/month when paid annually offer unlimited projects and integrations.
Enterprise plan offers Single Sign-On (SSO), account manager, etc.
GoodDay is a project management tool for small businesses. It’s a web-based tool that helps you to easily distribute tasks, set deadlines, and keep track of progress. It offers features for kanban and scrum methodologies like goals and workloads for an easy project management.
GoodDay provides a collaborative and intuitive interface that makes it easy to manage projects. Some of its best features include time tracking, invoicing, expense tracking, and integrations with hundreds of productivity tools like Excel, Jira, Slack, and Trello, like most tools on this list.
GoodDay’s Price: (Offers free plan)
GoodDay has a free plan with all the basic features.
Professional plan starts at $6 /user/month offers advanced analytics, advanced integrations, Gantt and timeline views, and more. Enterprise plan comes with more features like unlimited members and storage, Single Sign-On (SSO), etc.
That’s all about the best project management tools for small businesses. Though these all are the top tools in this space, the best one for you will depend on your requirements.
For example, I use ClickUp for managing my freelance projects and Asana for managing blog posts. Which one did you pick?