The thought of going Digital can be scary, but there are many advantages. The internet is a helpful tool that can improve the way you do everyday tasks. We have compiled five ways that demonstrate how going digital can really change your life.
Booking a doctors appointment or ordering a repeat prescription
Many GP surgeries allow you to book appointments from the comfort of your home using your computer, laptop or mobile, and at any time. While it is often quicker and easier than waiting on hold to try and get through to a busy GP surgery, booking appointments online also reduces the number of phone calls reception staff have to take, saving time that can be spent on providing quicker, more responsive services to those patients who cannot use online services. Many pharmacists will also let you renew your prescriptions online, and they may even offer delivery. Ask your GP if they have an online service.
Job searches and applications
One of the major advantages of job hunting on the internet is convenience. From the comfort of your home, you can access thousands of job openings. Most companies include a section on their website for open vacancies, and sometimes have online forms you can fill out quickly and easily. In addition to this, there are sites available that host wide ranges of jobs from various companies and agencies. Finally, many job interviews are being conducted online nowadays, using services such as Teams and Zoom. This allows you to attend interviews for jobs you might not otherwise be able to apply for.
If you’re currently looking for a new job, check the jobs section of our website, or register to apply for Council jobs.
Online banking, utilities and finances
Being online means you can access your accounts and bills at any time and from anywhere, making organising finances possible while away from home or outside of office hours. It’ll even let you skip having to sit waiting on hold for someone to take your call. Many banks offer specialised banking apps for your phone. These are extremely secure, as you can set them to only unlock with biometric data like your fingerprints or a facial scan. Ask your bank and utilities providers if they offer these services.
Research and education
The internet provides 24-hour access to thousands of webpages full of information and data, covering almost any subject imaginable and available from the comfort of your own home. Wikipedia, an online encyclopaedia, is a good starting point for any research you want to do, while search engines like Google are useful for finding websites dedicated and specialised to specific subject matter. Try these sites out now by following the links below.
Reading the news
Accessing the news online is much faster and more convenient that waiting for the news reports on TV or for your newspaper to be delivered. Most TV channels run dedicated news services online that run 24 hours a day, and the newspapers you read will have a website that is being constantly updated. Like a physical newspaper, news sites will be categorised so you can go directly to the subject matter that most interests you, such as business, politics, or sport. You can look at international, national, and local news. Some online news services even let you look for news directly in your postcode, and you can do all this directly from your phone.
These are just a few of the possibilities available to you once you’re online. If there are any you need help with, or if you just want to polish up your digital skills, please check the skills section website linked below.