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Organizational Skills: How to Process Email and Deal With Information Overload

Posted on 08/24/2011 by ·

        I was reading an article in Information Week appropriately titled, “Eaten by the Email Monster.” http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2006/08/eaten_by_the_em.html It links to several useful articles on how to handle information overload. I thought I’d add my thoughts on how to efficiently process email: the 6-D Information Management System™: 1. DISCARD = Delete it 2. DELEGATE = Forward it 3. DO = Reply immediately if it will take you three minutes or less 4. DATE = Needs work but not now. The key is to somehow get it out of your in-box. Pick one favorite method and try to be consistent, so you don’t confuse your brain about what you did with that email. Options: * Move to a process folder called “Action” or something similar. * … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity, Tools & Systems · Tagged: ,

Time Management Skills: Email Tips

Posted on 08/19/2011 by ·

Clarity in workplace communication is highly important in any format, and these days, more and more business is conducted through email. Therefore, it's beneficial to learn how to maximize the content of your email messages, while minimizing the possibility of confusion. You should start with an informative, keyword-rich subject line that grabs the reader's attention. Don't leave the subject line blank, and don't be vague or non-specific; on the other hand, don't overuse exclamation points or capital letters. Either might lead an inattentive recipient to think your email is spam, resulting in it getting deleted—something that might range in consequence from minor to disastrous. If you're replying to an existing email, don't change the subject line unless you must. Otherwise, the recipient … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity, Tools & Systems · Tagged: ,

Increasing Productivity: HR’s Strategic Role in Improving Workforce Productivity

Posted on 08/16/2011 by ·

Please join me on August 31 for a special audio conference through the Workplace Training Center. The topic is HR’s Strategic Role in Improving Workforce Productivity: Working with Your Managers to Create High-Performing Employees Employees are expected to be competent. But the really successful employees are SUPER competent—the ones that companies fight to get, fight to keep, nurture and develop, and see as future leaders in their business growth. How do you know who the “A” players are? HR professionals are in a unique position to work with managers to identify productive employees and help them become even greater performers. Using a model that assesses engagement and performance of each employee, HR professionals can work with managers on improving individual employee … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity, Time Management · Tagged:

Burning the Daylight Oil

Posted on 08/15/2011 by ·

"The early bird gets the worm." -- Traditional Western proverb. "By getting up early in the morning, one also gets more time at his disposal for work as compared to late-risers. Scholar and thinkers get up early in the morning and contemplate." -- Rig Veda, Hindu sacred verses. You've got to admire those night owls—the co-workers who stay well past quitting time to get their work done, displaying an impressive level of productivity in the process. But if you don't fit that mold, there's no reason to let them hog all the glory. You can hit the ground running as the sun comes up, and get a head start by burning the daylight equivalent of their midnight oil. Your goal here is to get into the office before your co-workers do, so you'll have that quiet, pristine time all to yourself before … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity · Tagged:

Four Things to Stop Doing at Work

Posted on 08/12/2011 by ·

"Ill habits gather by unseen degrees/As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas." -- John Dryden, English poet (Absalom and Achitophel, 1681) Have you updated your NOT-to-do list lately? Most of us are pretty good about compiling daily to-do lists to guide our workflow, and there's no denying that those lists are vital for maximizing productivity. However, in many ways, a list of things you refuse to do is just as important. A not-to-do list doesn't have to be fancy. You simply start by writing down the time-stealing behaviors that you prefer not to take part in; then you review and revise your list periodically, to make sure you don't accidentally slip into habits that damage your productivity and keep you at work too long. Obviously, not-to-do lists will vary from person to person, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity, Time Management · Tagged: , , ,

Tracking Down People For Follow-Ups, Answers, Reminders: Creating An Effective Babysitting System

Posted on 08/12/2011 by ·
Tracking Down People For Follow-Ups, Answers, Reminders: Creating An Effective Babysitting System

Modern business protocols often require high levels of teamwork in order to achieve the company's goals. More than ever, workers interact like cogs in a machine, and most of us have to mesh with lots of other cogs in order to get our work done. Fair enough, assuming everything runs smoothly. But as we all know, human beings don't always work together with mechanical efficiency. Occasionally, things get caught up in the metaphorical gears, causing work to slow—or even stop. This might happen, for instance, if someone doesn't get a piece of information to you when you need it. Similarly, if a supplier can't provide a certain part or computer program, you may be stuck waiting. And if a project needs approval to proceed, and you don't have it, then find yourself at someone else's mercy. If … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Personal Productivity · Tagged:

Time Management at Work: Mobile Technology for HR Professionals

Posted on 08/10/2011 by ·

So many of my readers are HR professionals, so I like to keep an eye out for technologies and tips on how to improve productivity in that area. Moblie technologies for specific industries are exploding on the market today, and HR apps can be very useful for busy professionals. As the HR Analyst at Software Advice, Kyle Lagunas regularly writes HR software reviews on his blog. Recently, he highlighted a few of his favorite mobile apps for HR professionals so I wanted to share his article with you. Please let me know if you've tried any of these apps and let me know what you think! Human Resources Goes Mobile: Highlighting Top HR Apps … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Performance · Tagged: ,

What Does Office Clutter Cost You?

Posted on 08/09/2011 by ·

According to a recent CareerBuilder study, clutter could be costing you quite a bit! More than a quarter of employers said they are less likely to promote someone who has a messy work space. A large percentage of employers also feel that having paper piles on desks gives them a more negative impression of those workers. Surpisingly, a third of workers admit to having hoarding tendencies with 13% saying they have files which are more than five years old. If you're facing challenges with office clutter, we've got help for you! Spend an hour with me on my pre-recorded webinar "Organize Your Office and Your Life: Survive Information Overload and Clear the Clutter." You'll learn expert tips on keeping the clutter at bay so that you have more time to tackle that to-do list! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity, Tools & Systems · Tagged: , ,

How To Manage Crises While Maintaining Workplace Productivity

Posted on 08/05/2011 by ·
How To Manage Crises While Maintaining Workplace Productivity

As much as we try to structure our work time, there's no scheduling the unexpected. Emergencies and other crises overwhelm us all occasionally; unfortunately, no one has ever invented a predictive model (or crystal ball for that matter) that can actually warn us about everything that might blindside us during the average business day. In a perfect world, we would expect the unexpected, since we all know from experience how quickly things can go south. But somehow, it rarely turns out that way. Ever the optimists, most of us look forward to the workday proceeding smoothly and according to plan, so we can keep to our schedules and maximize our productivity. And sure, optimism has its good points; but sometimes, we let a positive, can-do attitude blind us to the reality that things can and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity · Tagged:

Productivity Minute Video: Take Back Your Time From Technology

Posted on 08/02/2011 by ·

Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R) discusses the use of technology and how to keep it from controlling your time. (C) 2011 Laura Stack. All Rights Reserved. https://theproductivitypro.com … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Productivity, Tools & Systems · Tagged: