The Productivity Pro® Blog by Laura Stack - Time Management, Getting Things Done, How to Be More Productive

I enjoyed this post about how to be more productive with your Crackberry, I mean Blackberry.

Especially true is Nakagawa’s comment, "…the people who are the most productive don’t seem to have them." 

I’m sure you have your beefs about Blackberry usage in your organization (or by your spouse, for that matter).  If you were king or queen of the world, what "rules" would you create about Blackberry usage?  In addition to the 10 the author lists, I’ll add the following from personal experience:

1.  Do not pretend you are listening to someone by brainlessly mumbling "uh-huh" while you are answering an email on your Crackberry.

2.  Pay attention to the presenter during training sessions rather than using the time as your personal Crackberry play time.

3.  Use codes in the subject line when emailing, so Crackberry recipients can get your message without having to open it: "Do you know what the June budget figure is for professional services? END"  (AR = Action Required, END = End of message, LONG = read later etc.)

4.  Set your Crackberry to delete your email off the server when you delete it from your handheld (so you don’t have to do it twice).

5.  Turn your Crackberry off when you are standing in line for the Matterhorn at Disney World with your poor children tugging at your arm.

What are your rules?

I’ve always used RSS Reader 2.0 as my news aggregator/feed reader, until it started acting buggy, and I explored other options.  After reading other blogs and postings on the subject, I decided to try NewsGator Inbox for Outlook…and I love it!  What a time saver!  It integrates right into my Outlook email client and acts just like an email.  It has its own folder, and I can delete, forward, store, and search blog postings just like email.  It adds a nifty "Subscribe in NewsGator" item to the Internet Explorer menu.  I also like the wizard that lets you search feeds by keyword.

It has some disadvantages: you can only use it with Outlook, although NewsGator has different software versions as well.  The only thing I don’t like is you can’t group RSS feeds.

There’s a free 30-day trial at the NewsGator InBox website; the software version is only $29.95, which is well worth the convenience of seeing everything in one place (if you’re an Outlook user).

Bottom line: If the average "Joe" had this tool when blogging first started, it wouldn’t have been near as confusing and more people would have taken the time to learn how to subscribe to RSS feeds.

I love this amazing little plug-in for Outlook.  Your $30 will be well-spent.  You highlight information from the text of an email, hit a hotkey, and the software instantly determines whether you’re highlighting contact, appointment, task, or note information and opens the appropriate dialog box in Outlook with the information *already populated* for your review.  You can try it free for 45 days.

Visit http://getanagram.com/anagramoutlook/ to see a flash video and read about the neat features.

If you want to test out whether you are more of a "paper" person or an "electronic" person, I have a test at http://www.theproductivitypro.com/FreeStuff/TEST_paperORelectronic.xlt that will run a macro and give you a score and a recommendation.

I’m mulling about my monitor.  I was reading an article at online.wsj.com/articles/talking_tech about a research study done by Microsoft’s Center for Information Work, which looks at the way office workers use computers.  They found that with three monitors per worker, productivity jumped NINE PERCENT.  That’s unreal.  Nine percent might not seem like a lot to you, but it’s getting to the point where it’s really hard to squeeze a few extra productivity points out of workers, so that’s a very large amount.  When you look at the stock market trading floor, you see multiple monitors everywhere—that group has already realized it’s required to see all that information.

Perhaps I wouldn’t have three monitors, but I’m seriously considering adding a second.  It seems like I need one computer for communications and one for work.  I usually have at least five applications/documents going at once, and I’m having to constantly switch between them.  I could use one to monitor my calendar/email/IM/blogs and one for my customer database, Word, PowerPoint, etc.  Hmmm…as long as I had the ability to turn off one monitor…it would prevent "multi-tasking" when I’m trying to concentrate on a document.  Windows XP supports using multiple monitors and has the Dualview feature built in. Dualview lets you add a separate monitor to your laptop and view different programs on each display, so I know it could be done.

I’m curious to hear from any of you who have two monitors.  What’s been your experience?

I recently participated in the “Microsoft Office System Webcast: A First Look at the 2007 Microsoft Office System” that previewed some of the new features of Microsoft Office 2007.  View it at:

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032290359&EventCategory=5&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US

I’m excited about the changes I saw.  While the move from Office 2000 to Office 2003 brought us mostly cosmetic changes, there is a lot of new, improved functionality in Office 2007.  Here are some of my favorites:

·        The menu system is replaced by a “ribbon,” which is essentially a customized tool bar with buttons for each command.

·        The ribbon opens a series of “command tabs” that are contextual, meaning they only appear when you need them.  So you don’t always have your menu bar cluttered up by a bunch of icons that are meaningless at the time.  Each application has its own set of command tabs in the ribbon that applies to what that application most commonly does.  No more hunting for commands and dialog boxes!

·        A “quick access” toolbar is present on the top that allows you to add tabs and customize your application.

·        A Microsoft Office logo (very similar to what Mac users see with the Apple) now appears on the left side for commonly used commands.

·        In MS Word, a nifty “live preview” feature lets you hover over the fonts and styles to see what a change would do to your text if selected.

·        Very similar to adding signatures in Outlook, you can now add “building blocks” across all Office applications, such as footers, strings of text, addresses, etc. Think of it like a library of templates with strings of text you tend to type over and over again, kind of “structural chunks.”  AutoText on steroids.

·        In MS Outlook, there’s a cool new News Reader that helps you manage and subscribe to RSS news feeds on industry news and information important to you.

·        To solve the problem of people putting tasks on their calendar, Outlook now has a nifty “to-do” bar, which displays meetings and tasks for the day, including ones from MS Project and OneNote, all in a single view.  Flags actually automatically create a task for you depending on the selected time.  Tasks display right on your calendar, so you know when to do it and don’t get them confused with appointments with an actual set time.  The calendar has your in-box flags, tasks, meetings…everything all in one place!

·        Outlook also has a refined search function, which will save you time locating your messages.

·        To save even more time, you no longer have to open attachments in their native application (MS Word, Excel, etc.).  You can preview attached files right in the Outlook interface.

·        Customizable color categories now apply across all of Office, so you can quickly see all email, tasks, and meetings for a project.

·        Upgraded security features let you specify whether an email message can be copied, forwarded, viewed or printed, etc., very similar to setting security settings for PDF or other documents.

·        In PowerPoint, I really loved the new design feature that takes a simple bulleted list of text and uses IGX Graphics to convert it automatically into diagrams and figures.

For more information on the 2007 Microsoft Office System: www.microsoft.com/office/preview. 

Microsoft Office System Tips & Tricks:

www.microsoft.com/greattips

Microsoft Work Essentials:

www.microsoft.com/workessentials

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/2006-06-05-inflight-broadband_x.htm

Following a winning $31.3 million-dollar bid, AirCell, a Colorado-based company that provides wireless services for corporate jets, is now poised to provide wireless service on public airliners as early as 2007.  This would be absolutely amazing for personal productivity, allowing you to do the same work you do in the office, on your Blackberry, in the hotel, at Starbucks and in the airport lounge.  Bravo!  Many people complain about travel, citing a huge productivity drain.  Now they won’t have anything to blame, and the excuse will vanish.  The real reason for not getting work done will emerge: a good book, a stiff drink, the prospect of a nap.  NOW we’ll see where the rubber hits the road…or air waves…on productivity.

Excerpt from Laura’s book Find More Time:

Use your travel time productively. If you were fortunate enough to have ever met the late Art Berg, CSP, CPAE, you have been blessed. This pioneer of using technology in a way that helps people simplify their lives was the founder of the Internet calendaring system I use: www.espeakers.com. Art always told me, “Never waste your time on the plane. The more you get done while you’re traveling, the more time you’ll have available to be with your family you return.” I took his sage advice to heart and now plan on being able to knock out a bunch of work while I’m away from home. I don’t just sleep, rent the movies, or listen to music on the plane—I work. I read business journals, trade magazines, write thank-you letters, complete routine paperwork, review large reports and board materials, or do project and advance planning. If I feel good about what I’ve accomplished, I have the current Oprah magazine handy for pleasure reading. I take my office into the air and to the hotel. In the hotel, I don’t watch television! If you’re a television person at home, discipline yourself to say, “This is my time. Uninterrupted time. There’s no one else to take care of but myself. I’m going to use it to get ahead.”

Don’t Be Left Behind: the Right Computer Skills Can Make All the Difference

Kelly Dodson knows firsthand why companies value the ability to use computers and software. An administrative assistant in Kansas, Dodson used to keep her CEO’s calendar by hand until one day an important meeting slipped through the cracks.

That painful experience compelled her to seek training in the effective use of the company’s scheduling software.  And today, she feels she couldn’t do her job as well without it.

As early as 1999, the Progressive Policy Institute estimated that 75 percent of employees use computers in their work, and that figure continues to increase as computers make their way into more and more aspects of individuals’ lives.  Since just about every job today is connected to computers and software in some way, employees who lack the ability to use that information successfully are finding themselves increasingly marginalized.

The effects of this evolution for individual workers are real, and they show up most vividly when it comes to the bottom line — research has shown that workers with the right computer skills can earn 20-40 percent more than those without. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Office of Productivity and Technology agrees, emphasizing, “It is not merely the employee having a computer on his desk—but rather having complementary computer skills—that causes wages to increase.”

Commenting on Information Workers’ adoption of technology, Laura Stack, productivity expert and author of Leave the Office Earlier, remarked “The people who succeed are those who take the time to figure it out rather than struggling each time, doing it the hard way, or taking too much time.  Employees who self-educate themselves will experience a performance boost from using the full range of available functions.”

That is to say, whether you’re an administrative assistant, auditor or staff attorney, having the right computer skills can make a difference in your career and your paycheck.

So what can you do to get those skills?  Dodson was lucky enough to develop them on the job, with support from her very understanding employer.  But without basic computer literacy, it can be tough nowadays to get that job in the first place.

The web offers a myriad of courses and programs on a range of technical skills, from basic computer literacy on up to complex programming and IT training.

“Software training is evolving into a just-in-time approach,” says Stack.  “Many workers complain about the slow response from the company help desk or lack of available training.  It’s more efficient for workers to access self-help online resources, such as Microsoft Work Essentials, to allow them to find answers to problems they are experiencing in real time.”

Microsoft Office Work Essentials is a comprehensive resource with occupation-specific tools in programs such as Excel, Word and PowerPoint.  The site has hundreds of free templates, how-to articles, product demonstrations, tip sheets and other resources. Available 24/7 at www.microsoft.com/workessentials, professionals in more than 30 occupations, including auditors, project managers, sales managers, human resources professionals and many more will find tools to help them improve their skills.

“Local computer superstores and community colleges also offer inexpensive courses on many common software packages,” says Stack.  “The day I spent at CompUSA learning PowerPoint saved me much time and frustration trying to figure it out myself.  Doing a search at www.amazon.com will display a vast array of literature to read on the topic.”

Whatever method you choose, one thing is for certain: educating yourself in today’s computer programs is a sure way to make yourself more appealing to prospective and current employers.

For years, I’ve heard employees in my productivity seminars complaining about their IT departments.  Some of these complaints I believe have valid justifications, and I stick up for IT:

COMPLAINT: IT won’t let them load personal software.

JUSTIFIED! Doing so would create a staffing nightmare as workers seek help on non-supported applications.  Could also create security concerns and open the door to system viruses.

COMPLAINT: IT restricts access to certain Internet sites

JUSTIFIED! I can’t think of a good reason why employees would need to watch X-rated videos at work.

COMPLAINT: IT doesn’t upgrade their operating systems and software to the newest version for years after the release.

JUSTIFIED! You don’t need new technology for the sake of new technology.  There must be a cost-benefit analysis to determine if the new features will boost performance and productivity, commensure to the level of staff support IT is able to provide.

BUT many of the things IT does are ridiculous and I just don’t understand.  For example:

COMPLAINT: IT has removed my desktop printer, and I have to walk down the hall to the printer.

NOT JUSTIFIED! This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard of in a while.  Holy cow, I print continually.  Even electronic/PDA/Blackberry types still have piles of paper all over their desks.  It’s crazy to think about how much people make per hour times the number of employees in an organization, all walking down the hall to the shared printer, where of course they’re likely to stumble into Chatty Suzy, who wants to tell you about her nightcrawlers.  You get to the printer—CRAP!—it didn’t print out, someone took it, it’s not what I thought, margins are cut off, etc., BACK to the office to print again.  I don’t care squat about how hard it is to service all those printers.  Get a contractor to handle it.  Printers are cheap.  The cost of not having a printer on the desk top of every employee is a huge productivity and profitability drain.

COMPLAINT: My company won’t purchase a Blackberry/Treo/Smartphone for me to use. 

NOT JUSTIFIED: I know most people would be far more productive if they had instant access to their email, calendar, and contacts from anywhere.  I feel so sorry for people who are forced to print out their Outlook info, schlep it home, write on it manually, carry it back to work, and update it again, just to keep things organized.  Employees tend to stay connected at home if they have a device.  I tell people who complain about their companies not buying them a Blackberry to suck it up and buy one themselves!  But then at http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=39533&cid=5 a consortium of CIOs actually came up with some "best practices" for managing PDAs. They suggest "Don’t allow the connection of privately owned PDAs to your corporate network. There will also be an issue with having proper back-ups and generally adhering to standards."  So you’re actually suggesting that people who dip into their own pockets to buy a device to aid their productivity and increase the profitability of the organization shouldn’t be allowed to do so?  Hello IT!!  Why don’t you get with all the managers and mandate they buy people one who want one, so people don’t have to connect with a privately-owned device?  You are out of touch with the business reality of what many workers are dealing with.

COMPLAINT: I’m not allowed to load personal information on my Outlook.

NOT JUSTIFIED!  People don’t simply turn off their private lives when they walk through your doors, and they don’t stop thinking about work at home, either.  You can’t have it both ways!  Do you actually expect for them to maintain two completely unrelated systems, rending their time management ability totally useless?  If your system doesn’t incorporate both your personal and professional lives, you are setting yourself up for conflicts and inefficiencies, which will ultimately affect a worker’s performance on the job.  This artcicle suggests IT should "Establish clear policies on PDA use, targeting items such as business versus personal use, playing games, downloading inappropriate material or using it to share family pictures."  Get a clue!!!  Do you think people are robots?  That they’re going to come to work and not think about their families again?  Socializing and water cooler chat are important for relationship building and is not simply a waste of time.  Connecting with co-workers on a personal level builds trust and comraderie that’s essential in building the support you need to get things done quickly.

COMPLAINT: My company makes me carry a Blackberry to check my email, but they said the phone service is too expensive, so I have to use a different cell phone, and I’m still required to wear my pager for emergencies?

JUSTIFICATION: None necessary, you can figure this one out on your own the first time you see some poor sap with three different devices strapped to his/her waist.

DO I HEAR AN ‘AMEN’?

I’m reading an article in PC Magazine June 6, 2006 edition, that makes me pause.  Think your portable external hard drive backups will save you if your computer crashes?  But what happens if a disaster wipes out your entire ofice?  Better move duplicates of your critical data over the Internet to remote servers.  One of the big excuses for not backing up to an off-site storage location is "it’s too expensive," followed by a close second, "it’s too much of a pain."  Now both of those excuses are gone with Mozy Remote Backup, which offers 2GB of secure off-site storage for FREE. You’ll pay more for additional storage, but you really only need to save your mission-critical data and important files with these services.  I backup my QuickBooks, ACT, training courseware, and book files each week.  Mozy won the PC Magazine Editor’s Choice award, so you should feel comfortable in selecting the service.  Tell it what files to protect and run your backup.  It saves all new and changed files and keeps previous versions for 30 days in case a file gets corrupted. go.pcmag.com/mozyremote16