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

Announcing The Productivity Pro® Microsoft Outlook virtual training series! Attend “live” training with Laura Stack, a Microsoft Certified Specialist in Outlook, from the privacy of your home or office.

I’m going to present ten modules covering various aspects of Outlook step-by-step. This isn’t just computer training. It’s real-world, reality-based workflow processing that helps you actually be MORE productive with Outlook, instead of wasting hours every day playing with it. I estimate most people know 10-20% of the capacities of Outlook. Even if you think you’re an “expert,” you’ll be shocked by what you don’t know you don’t know.

I’m making each one-hour webinar very affordable at $39 per person. If you attend all ten, the price is discounted to $349 per person. If for some reason you miss the class, don’t worry. The recording will be available for two weeks after the session, and each person will receive a detailed PDF workbook to accompany each webinar, with detailed screen shots, so you can duplicate what I do in the seminar.

NOTE: This is a one-person license, so you can’t have someone watch over your shoulder or forward the URL to others. If you want to project the seminar in your conference room, just call us at 303-471-7401 and tell us how many people are attending, and we’ll manually charge your credit card $39 per person. We use the honor system—only you will know if you cheat.

There is nothing to download. As long as you have access to the Internet and sound from your speakers, you can attend. You don’t dial in via phone, as this platform features VOIP (voice over internet protocol), and you listen right from your own computer. I DO recommend you purchase an inexpensive USB headset (such as the Logitech ClearChat Comfort for around $40) that plugs right into your USB and offers great sound quality and privacy from your office neighbors.

TIMES

I will offer different sessions for 2003 and 2007 users, so make sure to sign up for the right seminar. The 2003 series will be held at 11:00 Pacific/12:00 Mountain/1:00 Central/2:00 eastern. The 2007 series will be held at 1:00 pacific/2:00 mountain/3:00 central/4:00 eastern.

Click here to view the list of dates and topics.

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Like it or not, social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are here to stay – and it isn’t just kid stuff anymore.  In fact, businesses and individuals worldwide keep finding interesting ways to use social networks and other interactive online media to do some pretty amazing things – from building their brands to getting to know their customers.

Where do you stand in this new phase of the internet revolution, which many techies are calling “Web 2.0”?  Perhaps you avoided it altogether…or you’re an addict…or you’re somewhere in between.

Like most technology, social networks and other social media tools are great resources but lousy masters.  You could spend all day hopping around to different sites, updating your information, and connecting with people all over the world.  But how does that add to your daily productivity?  

Since it’s a brand new year, let’s take a look at how you’ve been wasting time online.  Or perhaps you should be spending more time dipping your toes in the social media waters!

What is social media?

Don’t worry if you’ve never quite gotten your head around the term.  Even the experts don’t have a great definition for it.  Think of it this way: social media generally refers to web-based tools that help you connect with people and share information.

This means networking sites, such as LinkedIn and MySpace, as well as information sharing tools like blogs.   Social media is really about connecting people with one another and/or information.

What’s the point?

There was a time when social media was just a novelty—something that people did just for the sake of doing it.  The technology was new, and it was fun to connect with people and find new sources of information and new perspectives.  (It can still be a lot of fun!)

The explosion of blogging created an environment where anyone could be a publisher and share their ideas for little or no cost.  The advent of social networks gave individuals unprecedented access to one another; suddenly chatting with your old friends from college wasn’t limited to the class reunion.

And today, social media has evolved beyond being just a toy for tech-lovers.  As more and more people get involved and the concepts become more mainstream, social media has also become more useful as a professional tool.  For example, my favorites are:

• LinkedIn is a great site that allows you to create a professional profile and make business contacts online.  Most users see the site as a relatively no-nonsense one, which makes it a great resource for building professional relationships and for reaching out to people that you’d like to meet virtually.  I have 400+ contacts currently, all of whom I know personally and would do business with or refer to others.  You can view my LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/laurastack.

• Blogs, such as TypePad or WordPress (part of your site or not), have become a great way to share your expertise with the world and build your personal or corporate brand.  My blog www.TheProductivityPro.com/blog allows me to share productivity news and insights in an impromptu, informal way.  That means my clients and those interested in productivity are more likely to be familiar with my work, my personality, and my qualifications.

• Twitter is a micro-blog, and has a concept that is perhaps the simplest of any of the social networking sites out there.  Throughout the day, you post the answer to a straightforward question, which is “What are you doing?” Your updates (“tweets”) are limited to 140 characters.  Others can elect to follow your updates and view your posts.  Because of the no pressure, minimal approach, you’d be amazed at how quickly you can build your network on Twitter.  It is a great, fast-paced way to meet people, keep up with your friends and colleagues, and build your personal brand online. You can follow my tweets at www.twitter.com/laurastack.

I could go on about the different platforms that are out there, but that really isn’t the point.  The thing to keep in mind is that there are a variety of sites available to you and that you need to pick and choose which make sense for you.  My favorite is LinkedIn, where I can ask people in my network for introductions to people in their networks.  I’ve gotten business from doors that have been opened by others for me.

Don’t spend a whole lot of time doing research or comparing sites.  Go with your gut and start exploring what is out there.  Some things you will like and see the value in, some you won’t.  The best way to figure out what’s what is to experiment a little.  These sites are extremely user-friendly and are designed to be intuitive.  Generally speaking the site will ask you for your information as you go and help you get started.  The best way to decide what appeals to you is to do some browsing online and try a platform or two to get your feet wet.

Laura, my feet are already wet.  Now what?

Once you have accounts set up on one or more social platforms, there are a few things to keep in mind concerning the day-to-day activities associated with staying connected online:

• Keep up with it.  Whether you are maintaining a social networking profile or your own blog, keep in mind that a neglected site gives a bad impression.  Especially when networking professionally, information that is inaccurate or out of date is going to reflect badly on you.  If people see, for example, that your LinkedIn page has been untouched for months, they just might assume that you are no longer a player at your company or in the industry.

• Censor yourself.  For whatever reason, the internet has an odd way of releasing people’s inhibitions, and often not for the better.  Especially if you are planning to tap social media for professional networking purposes, think about what you are putting out there!  You really need to look at every post assuming that it will be read by your boss, coworkers, clients, your parents, your kids—anybody.  If you already have a site that features some less-than-flattering content or images, now is the time to clean it up.  Need more convincing?  Social networks are increasingly becoming part of the hiring process at many companies.  What would a potential employer find out about you if they put their mind to it?  Would a prospect decide not to hire you based upon the attitude you exude on your page?

• Limit your social networking at work.  The internet is one of the biggest enhancers of productivity in our lifetime, but it is also one of the biggest productivity drains.  Social networks are no exception.  Make sure you keep your social networking—whether that means reading blog postings, updating your profiles, or checking out other people—under control.  Set proper boundaries for yourself.  Some people simply can’t do this and waste inordinate amounts of time on social sites each day, leading some companies to block websites such as myspace.com.  It really doesn’t take that much time to sit down once or twice a day to check in on things and make sure your communication is up-to-date, but it is extremely easy to find yourself wasting half the day doing it.  There is limitless information out there and millions of people available to meet and interact with.  Be sure to keep a handle on how much time you’re spending.

• Limit your social networking at home.  Just by the nature of the beast, even if you use your social networks primarily for professional purposes, you’re going to end up having some fun, too.  Just remember that even though there are countless interesting people out there in cyberspace, there are a handful of much MORE interesting people right under your nose, in your very own home.  Don’t neglect the real people in your life because your busy interacting with the ones on your computer screen.

So get out there and start communicating.  Once you’re up and running, see where it takes you!  Just don’t let it take you out of the productivity zone.

Make it a productive day!tm

(C) Copyright 2008 Laura Stack.  All rights reserved.  www.TheProductivityPro.com

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Here’s a great site to calculate how much time you waste on Twitter!

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John discusses an interview he had with Laura Stack The Productivity Pro®, Inc. on her 6-D email approach.

“Imagine this; you are deep in thought, tackling an important project, you are in the zone – then…’ding’…the echoing sound of your email inbox, that’s right, you’ve got mail.  Your thought process screeches to a hault, your mind shifts, you think ‘nah, I’ll check it later’, but what if it’s important?  What if it is crucial information?  Or, what if it’s an amazing discount offer from your favorite online retailer…?  Doesn’t matter, you’ve now lost focus on the task at hand and reach for the mouse.  How many times does this occur throughout your day?  I bet it happens often enough, that if you added up all of the diversion of time wasted you could calculate that into money lost…”

Read more…The 6 D’s to having your inbox make you money

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Social networking is all the rage today.  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace – the list goes on.  It seems like everyone has one or more of these services, but how many people are thinking about how it can affect them professionally?  And how does it affect your productivity?

In terms of your professional image, there have been many news stories and articles about people getting fired or not getting hired for jobs because of the things they post on their profiles.  In one of my time management seminars, a participant told me she didn’t hire an applicant because she researched his social sites and saw that he “wanted to do as little as possible for as much money as possible.”  If you want to keep your social networking just "between friends," pay close attention to the privacy settings on sites like Facebook and MySpace.  The safest bet is to assume that anything on the internet can be fair game; however, you can minimize your risk by making your profiles private or "friends only."  Be careful what you write and post, even when making comments on others’ pages.  Think about whether you want what you’re about to say in the virtual public record for all time. 

That said, social networking can be a useful tool in developing relationships and marketing yourself.  I’m using LinkedIn to build relationships and network for new business.  I already have over 250 connections and many recommendations.  However, keeping up with your networks can becoming all-consuming and almost addictive.  I know several people who admit to being Twitterholics or check their pages on different sites continually throughout the day, which has far-reaching productivity implications.  If all day you sift through information on websites, read your blog postings, keep up with all your social networks, and wade around in your email in-box, when are you actually going to get your WORK done?  I check my social sites once each day and only after all my key priorities for the day are completed (generally in the afternoon).  I suggest you set some appropriate boundaries around your usage of social networking and then apply some good old-fashioned discipline to make yourself stick to them.

© 2008 Laura Stack.  All rights reserved.

www.TheProductivityPro.com

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There are many terrific blogs on the Web that I enjoy reading.  However, it’s easy to waste a lot of time book marking each individual blog in your “favorites,” and then visiting each one individually when you have time to do some reading.  It can be even worse if you have numerous email subscriptions clogging up your inbox. When you have more than just a few blogs you like to read, make it easy on yourself and try a free, simple solution like Google Reader.

Google Reader allows you to organize your favorite blogs and read them all in one place.  When you subscribe to the RSS feed of a blog, instead of opting to receive emails, select Google Reader as your method of delivery.  You can organize your feeds into folders much like your favorites or bookmarks in your browser.  That way you can quickly scroll through your subscriptions to see which posts you want to take the time to read.  You can also elect to share your favorites with others. I’ve found Google Reader to be a big time saver.  Give it a try!

(C) 2008 Laura Stack.  All rights reserved.  www.TheProductivityPro.com

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I’ve worked full-time from my home since 1992 and can’t imagine doing it any other way. Whether you work full time out of your home, occasionally telecommute, catch up on work in the evening, or run a household, you need some sort of dedicated “office” space in your home. Offices can serve as the family computer center, a place to do paperwork, and the occasional work-at-home office.

The first big question is where to locate your home office. Until the last few years, most builders didn’t catch on to the popularity of a built-in home office. If you have a computer, you probably need more than an antique writing desk in the living room. But if you only use your “office” to pay bills, write letters, and return phone calls, you can get away with a corner of the kitchen.

In most homes, extra space is difficult to come by, so you’ll need to get creative. I’ve seen people attempt to use a hallway, part of a bedroom, and even a closet. However, it’s difficult to work while children are running around you, you see your bed and think about napping, or when it’s too cramped. So I’ve always commandeered the “formal” dining room or living room—no one ever used it anyway—so it’s wasted space. Or perhaps you can steal the guest room.

Set yourself up for success. If you are going to be working from your home full-time, use this checklist to ensure you’re set up for success and maximum productivity:
• Where will you set up your home office?
• How will you modify the space to meet your needs?
• Can you lock the door? Can you lock the windows?
• Do you have sufficient lighting for that area?
• What office supplies you will need?
• Where are the electrical sockets located? Will you need additional power sources?
• Do you have enough storage space, such as a file cabinet, bookcases, credenza, closets, etc.?
• Where you will store back-up disks? Is the storage area safe from fire, flooding, etc.?
• If your home office is in the basement, and if the basement tends to get damp, do you have a de-humidifier?
• Do you have a personal computer that you already use at home? Will you need different software or upgrade the RAM? Will others need to stop using it for personal purposes?
• Do you have sufficient office equipment for your home office?
• Do you have a desk? Is it large enough to do office work?
• Do you need to have a modem installed on your home computer?
• Are there sufficient phone jacks in the area you’ve designated for your home office?
• Do you need a separate fax line, Internet line, and business line?
• Do you have voice mail or an answering machine?
• Do you have a smoke detector in your home office area?
• Do you have a fire extinguisher located hear your home office?

Regardless of whether you work full-time from home or a few times each month, your home office has some common requirements:

Furniture and storage
• A professional office desk and worktable
• Sturdy filing cabinets and drawer space for files. Invest in quality pieces that won’t fall apart.
• An ergonomically correct chair
• Bookcases or shelves to hold binders, trays, phone books, and reference manuals
• Stackable storage units that maximize your space vertically
• Large garbage can
• Supply caddy/accessories
• Stackable trays for “in” and “out” boxes
• A large, standing document sorter with slots for envelopes, fax paper, letterhead, etc., that fits under your desk for easy access.

Computer and peripherals
• A computer with lots of RAM, a large hard drive, and a DVD burner
• External back-up system (like www.godaddy.com or an external drive)
• DSL or cable or satellite Internet connection (no dial-up)
• High-security remote access to your offsite office computer (like www.GoToMyPC.com)
• USB hub such as Linksys 2.0, which has seven easy access ports to plug in your keyboard, iPod, PDA docking station, digital camera, USB flash drive, etc.

Software
• Spam filter, such as www.mcaffe.com
• Internet security and virus protection, such as www.norton.com
• Integrated contact management, such as ACT (my favorite) or Goldmine
• Fax within the computer, such as WinFax Pro
• Postage, such as www.stamps.com, Pitney Bowes Postage Meters, or www.dhl.com
• Accounting, such as QuickBooks Pro for business or Quicken for home only
• Email software, such as Microsoft Outlook
• Calendar, such as Microsoft Outlook, or a paper planner, such as www.daytimer.com/laurastack

Other technology and equipment for people who work at home
• A separate business phone line and fax line if you conduct business from home so your clients don’t get voice mail saying, “You’ve reached the Smith residence.”
• Wireless headset (I use GN Netcom plus receiver lift)
• Cell phone and PDA, which can be separate, but optimally a SmartPhone, which includes PDA and email access
• Pager or text pager (only if you’re required to carry one)
• High-quality laser printer, copy machine, and scanner (separately or all-in-one)
• Telephone with voice mail

Who knows…setting up a clean, organized, productive office space at home might allow you to consider more work-at-home or other home-based business opportunities.

© 2008 Laura Stack.  All rights reserved.  Laura Stack is a personal productivity expert, author, and professional speaker who helps busy workers Leave the Office Earlier® with Maximum Results in Minimum Time®.  She is the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., a time management training firm specializing in productivity improvement in high-stress organizations.  Since 1992, Laura has presented keynotes and seminars on improving output, lowering stress, and saving time in today’s workplaces.  She is the bestselling author of three works published by Broadway Books: The Exhaustion Cure (2008), Find More Time (2006) and Leave the Office Earlier (2004).  Laura is a spokesperson for Microsoft, 3M, and Day-Timers®, Inc and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, CNN, and the New York Times. Her clients include Cisco Systems, Sunoco, KPMG, Nationwide, and 3M.  To have Laura speak at your next event, call 303-471-7401. 

Receive a free eBook “111 Ways to Improve Your Personal Productivity“!

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These days, most of us use handheld technology in all aspects of our daily lives, blurring the boundaries between work and home. Has this made you feel more overworked and less energized? If so, you need to learn how to break free from technology, turn it off regularly, stop letting it control you, and unplug in ways that boost your energy. Let’s chat about your electronic habits, and about how to regain control.

1. Plan your screen time and stick to it. It’s unnatural to focus on a computer or TV screen for hours on end instead of interacting with people. Yet this is precisely what most people do — and the subsequent feelings of social isolation and depression can be quite damaging to your energy level.

2. Put your life first. Don’t let technology eat up your free time; technology exists to simplify your life, not to complicate it. It’s up to you to keep it in check. A good start is to turn off all electronics an hour before bedtime.

3. Keep your electronic in-box empty. Slash through the electronic detritus to maximize your efficiency, and therefore your energy level. If you let your voicemail and email inboxes get overcrowded, important communications might fell through the cracks, straining a friend’s or client’s trust in you.

4. Get your computer organized. Too much computer clutter can drain your energy just by forcing you to hunt for things that should be easy to find. Delete old files, reorganize folders, and give files names that make their contents obvious at a glance.

5. Turn off your technology when you’re on personal time. You can’t recharge your personal energies if you’re always working. Once the workday is over, make yourself electronically scarce.

6. Avoid Obsessive Compulsive Technology Disorder. You don’t need to check your email constantly. Doing so is forces your brain to start/stop/start/stop constantly, which requires a huge amount of mental energy. Instead, turn off the technological distractions so you can get work done.

7. Just say no to instant messaging.  Instant messaging is a great way to stay in contact, but too much of it steals time and energy you need for other work. Don’t be afraid to turn on the “DO NOT DISTURB” feature when you want to focus on a task that requires your complete concentration.

8. Match the message to the medium. Use the right means of communication for a particular message. Sometimes email is the most efficient way to communicate with a particular person; sometimes it’s better to pick up the phone.

Electronic devices are supposed to make your life easier, not more stressful. If they’ve begun to dominate your life — including your time off — step back and decide whether all that stress is worth the reward. It may be time to shed some of that technology, or at least to put it back in its place.

© 2008 Laura Stack.  Laura Stack is a personal productivity expert, author, and professional speaker who helps busy workers Leave the Office Earlier® with Maximum Results in Minimum Time™. She is the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., a time management training firm specializing in productivity improvement in high-stress organizations.  Since 1992, Laura has presented keynotes and seminars on improving output, lowering stress, and saving time in today’s workplaces.  She is the bestselling author of three works published by Broadway Books: The Exhaustion Cure (2008), Find More Time (2006) and Leave the Office Earlier (2004).  Laura is a spokesperson for Microsoft, 3M, and Day-Timers®, Inc and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, CNN, and the New York Times. Her clients include Cisco Systems, Sunoco, KPMG, Nationwide, and 3M.  To have Laura speak at your next event, call 303-471-7401.  Visit www.TheProductivityPro.com to sign up for her free monthly productivity newsletter.

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No matter how technologically savvy we become, we can’t seem to eliminate paper. In fact, studies estimate that we generate up to ten times more paper than we did before the advent of the computer! How much of that paper is sitting in stacks on multiple surfaces all over your home and office?  To tame those mountains of paper, try throwing these ideas at them.

1. Consistently purge your files without fear. Before you embark on an overhaul of your filing systems, purge all the old junk first. Why spend time dealing with paper you’re just going to toss anyway?

2. Create and maintain a filing system that allows you to find papers easily. If you can’t find a particular piece of paperwork when you need it, it might as well not exist. Pick a logical filing scheme and follow it religiously.

3. Follow a daily processing system for staying on top of mail and paperwork. Keep track of your incoming mail and other paperwork every day, and use the 6-D system to deal with it: discard, do, delegate, date, drawer, or deter.

4. Handle bills in a timely fashion and keep up with bookkeeping. Limit the number of credit cards and checking accounts you have, and learn to file everything effectively so you know when bills are due. Online payments can help.

5. Know where you put every piece of paper you receive. Keep different types of paperwork in separate files, and think before you put something into a file: is it really worth my time and effort? For example, most store coupons aren’t.

6. Handle phone calls and voice mail productively. Avoid phone tag, which does little but add to your daily paper deluge. Answering the phone when it rings can be much more effective. Also, start a phone log to keep track of who you’ve called and who’s called you.

7. Use technology to reduce paper and complete tasks quickly. Utilize computers and related devices to automate what would ordinarily be paper-based tasks: e.g., holiday lists, contact management, word processing, and mass-mailings.

8. Keep important papers up to date and easy to locate. It’s especially important to keep track of insurance, medical documents, and wills, and to keep them current at all times. Make a list of all your passwords and bank account numbers too, and make sure your loved ones know where to find that list.

9. Use a calendar system to track family members’ schedules. Use ONE calendar that contains ALL your personal, family, and work commitments, so you can track and sync other people’s schedules with your own.

10. Organize and keep up with my reading. If you’ve got too little time to keep up with your reading, cut back on your commitments, and try listening to audio books. Even better, ditch the stuff that’s so dull it puts you to sleep.

It pays to spend a little time every day making your bill paying, filing, reading, tracking, and scheduling more manageable. If you don’t get control of the paper monster, it’ll get control of you. If that happens, you’re likely to find yourself drowning in a sea of paper — not exactly the most dignified way to go!

© 2008 Laura Stack.  Laura Stack is a personal productivity expert, professional speaker, and author who helps busy workers Leave the Office Earlier® with Maximum Results in Minimum Time™. She is the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., a time management training company in Denver, Colorado, that caters to high-stress industries. Laura’s newest productivity book, The Exhaustion Cure (Broadway Books), hits bookstores in May 2008.  Laura is a spokesperson for Microsoft, 3M, and Day-Timers®, Inc and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, CNN, and the New York Times. Her clients include Cisco, Sunoco, KPMG, Nationwide, and MolsonCoors.  Contact her at www.TheProductivityPro.com. 

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Not everyone has the natural ability to live out of a suitcase or do business from a laptop bag. However, with a little practice, you can learn how to make the most of your travel time. It’s amazing what you can get done when you put some miles between yourself and the usual distractions of everyday life.

So how do you make the most of your time away? Here are some tips that work for me. I hope a few of them will help you become as efficient when you’re away from the office as you are when you’re there.

Pack efficiently. It all starts with being organized and thinking ahead. Did you ever stay up half the night packing and spend an entire trip frustrated, exhausted, and wondering what it is you forgot? Don’t let it happen again. It’s pretty rare that a trip will pop up at the last minute, but they do have a way of sneaking up on you. Instead of getting packed the day before, start thinking about your trip the week before. Find an out of the way spot to leave an open suitcase and drop things in as you think of them. When it really is time to get ready to go, you’ll be practically done. I have a toiletries bag with duplicate items of everything, so I only have to pack outfits. I have a friend, Rebecca Morgan, who photographs her entire outfit at home—shoes, jewelry, purse, etc.—so she can quickly pull together what she needs at the hotel.

Don’t check your briefcase or laptop bag with the luggage. Stuff happens. Bags disappear—usually not permanently, but long enough to make you wish you had them. While there’s not a whole lot that you can do if it does happen, you can at least be confident that your computer and other work essentials are close at hand. Don’t be tempted to tuck that stack of folders in with your suitcase. If there’s a baggage mishap, you can probably handle business in yesterday’s clothes, but not without your files. I wear business causal attire when I travel, since I have presented in my travel clothes before, but audiences are very understanding.

Have a plan. You’ll usually have a pretty good idea of how much downtime you’ll have during your trip. Before you leave, set some goals. How long is the flight each way? How long will you be alone in your hotel room in the evening? Know what you want to accomplish during various parts of your trip. It isn’t set in stone, just a guide. When you sit down in that airplane seat, you should know exactly what to do next. Maybe there’s a report you want to read or a proposal you want to write. Whatever it is, be ready to dive right in.

Embrace the smart phone (in moderation). You don’t need to become a full-fledged Crackberry addict to enjoy the benefits of a smart phone. It shouldn’t hijack your life, but it can be a useful tool while you’re riding in a taxi or sitting at the gate. Use your downtime to keep up with e-mail. It is a good feeling to know that your e-mail isn’t piling up while you’re away. A smart phone can also help you stay on top of things back at the office without having to play phone tag and leave voicemails all over the place.

Use a jump drive, just in case. It’s tiny, inexpensive, and in a pinch, just might save your career. These little gadgets can go right on your keychain, or for the truly paranoid, around your neck for safekeeping. You can use it as an emergency backup for files essential to your trip. If you laptop is stolen, your battery is fried, or you come face to face with the blue screen of death, you’ll have a backup of your files; like that presentation you came so far to deliver. I had a computer refuse to start up once, but I was immediately able to upload my PowerPoint presentation to the client’s laptop and carry on.

Simplify with a docking station. Do you find yourself transferring files between a desktop computer and your laptop when you need to travel or bring work home? This was one of the biggest frustrations and wastes of time for me for many years. Unless your work requires some serious computer resources (I’m talking way beyond Microsoft Office here), you can probably stop using that desktop machine altogether (I use a Sony VAIO). A docking station means you’ll be able to keep your nice big monitor and full-size keyboard, but still be able to pop your computer out of the dock and slip it into your laptop bag and have all your files in one place. It really is the best of both worlds.

Access your computer by remote. If taking your computer with you isn’t an option, consider setting up remote access. Some companies provide this through a virtual network. Otherwise, similar technology is available through sites like www.gotomypc.com. As long as you have internet access, you’ll have access to the files and programs on your computer. Once you’re connected, you’ll be able to operate your PC just as if it were right in front of you.

Load up a phone card. Hotel telephone fees can be outrageous and cell phone service can leave you hanging when you least expect it. I’ve often not had reception from my hotel room, couldn’t get an internet connection (to use Skype), and had to use the land line. Get a prepaid phone card or calling card service so you can make calls from your room without racking up phone charges or wandering around the parking lot searching for a signal.

Pick up an extra set of chargers and connectors. Keep them in your laptop bag or briefcase. This way all of the cords for all of your gadgets are always packed and ready to go. This applies to your cell phone, PDA, Bluetooth, and laptop computer. When you arrive back to your office, you don’t have to unpack all your cords. My sets are permanently plugged in my office and stored in my briefcase.

Get EVDO. If you absolutely need to have internet access wherever you are, EVDO (Evolution Data Optimized) provides high-speed internet access through certain wireless networks such as Sprint or Verizon. It’s like using WiFi without having to search for a hot spot. If you pay for connection charges a few times a month in a hotel, the convenience is worth the price tag.

Carry a pocket folder or portfolio. We’re not talking about running around the office where you can juggle fistfuls of papers until you get back to your desk. Conference papers, meeting notes, proposals, and sales receipts are all things that can end up crushed, mangled, or lost if you don’t have someplace to put them. Keep everything together and organized until you get back from your trip. I create an envelope for each client meeting and carry a seven-pocket Pendaflex folder for conferences, with the documents I need separated by day.

I hope these tips help you spend your time as a road warrior more productively, and more importantly, have less to do when you return home—so you can squander more time reuniting with your loved ones.

Make it a productive day! ™

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