“The Productivity PRO!”tm news"E"letter

Number 27, August 2001

by Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional)

“The Productivity PRO!”tm

 

Published by Celebration Presentations

…your Personal and Professional Development Resource

 

“The Productivity PRO!”tm news"E"letter is a monthly electronic newsletter distributed to our clients, human resource personnel, and colleagues.  Laura Stack helps people leave the office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it! 

 

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NEWS: Maternity leave is officially over!  Where did June and July go?  It’s hard to imagine that summer will soon be over.  Have you been getting out and enjoying the sunshine?  How many days did you spend at the lake or your favorite relaxation spot?  Are you still as white as a ghost?  Commit to taking these last few weeks of summer to get some necessary recreation.  After all, the word recreation comes from the words “re” and “create,” so “recreate” yourself and play a little!

 

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IN THIS ISSUE:

 

*                     Article: “Electronic vs. Paper Organizers: Which is Best?”

*                     Time Tips and Traps

*                     Words of Wisdom

*                     20% off Featured Program: “Productivity in the Digital Age: Moving at the Speed of Life…How Fast are YOU?”

 

 

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ARTICLE: “Electronic vs. Paper Organizers: Which is Best?”

 

I’m often asked, “Should I use a paper or an electronic time management system?”  The simple answer is yes and no, but not both.  In other words, use one method or the other, but stick with it consistently.  I find that most people would either describe themselves as “paper” people or “technology” or “electronic” people.  I, myself, am a “paper” person.  I know how to use the gadgets, software, and technology, but I always find myself reverting back to a paper system when I venture into new territory.

 

Some people have to use electronic calendaring software at their workplaces, to allow others to check their schedules and plan meetings.  So go ahead and note your commitments there if you have to, but copy it to your paper calendar if you prefer to carry that with you.  Yes, you could sync your PalmPilot and eliminate the double-entry, but some people hate the little stylus and the “gadget” feel.  If trying to force yourself to use something you hate makes you not use it at all, I would absolutely recommend double-entry back to your paper system.  I do it.  I can beat you hands-down finding something using my paper system vs. an electronic tool.  Not that I’m against them; I just don’t prefer it for myself.  There is no “right” or “wrong.”  I like a written to-do list and a visual view of my monthly appointments, so I stick with the planner.

 

So find out which way works best for you and stick with it, no guilt, no excuses.  Here is a brief summary of what I find to be the advantages and disadvantages of paper vs. electronic tools.

 

Paper Organizer/Planner

 

ADVANTAGES:

1.      It can’t break or run out of batteries.

2.      You can quickly flip to a month-at-a-glance calendar and view every day of your entire schedule.

3.      Pretty, designer planner pages and page finders

4.      More room for note-taking at meetings

5.      No double entry of those notes back at the office.  You take notes and index them right in your planner.

6.      Can write and look up information more quickly than using a stylus with a PalmPilot.

7.      Customizable.  You can add/subtract features and forms that meet your needs.

8.      Yearly inserts run about $30; very inexpensive to maintain

 

DISADVANTAGES

1.      You can lose it, and there is no backup.

2.      Run out of room in A-Z tabs to write names, addresses, and phone numbers.

3.      Must rewrite information when people move.

4.      Gets messy with frequent updates.

5.      No security or password required.  Others can flip open your planner and view your information.

6.      Can be large and bulky.  Smaller versions often don’t have enough writing surface and calendar space.

7.      Often overflowing with assorted papers and sticky notes if you’re not organized.

 

 

Electronic Organizer/PDA/Palm Pilot

 

ADVANTAGES

1.      Lightweight, small, and portable

2.      Holds thousands of contact names and numbers

3.      Has a search capability to find to-dos and contact names

4.      You don’t run out of room to list today’s “to-do” list

5.      You don’t have to re-write to-do lists when you don’t complete items; they roll forward automatically

6.      Always current when “synced” with desktop computer

7.      Perfect for frequent travelers

8.      Integrates with Outlook and popular contact management databases

9.      If wireless, can access email    

 

DISADVANTAGES

1.      No month-at-a-glance view.  You must click on individual days on a monthly calendar to see appointments for that day.

2.      Note taking is tedious and time-consuming with cryptic shorthand, or you must carry a separate keyboard.

3.      Double entry.  Requires the use of a pad of paper to take notes, which must be typed into computer a second time back at home base.

4.      Can’t carry papers and notes in it for a meeting.  If you carry a separate pad, it defeats the purpose

5.      Expensive machine and add-ons

6.      Risk crashes, data wipeouts, and being on the road without your calendar (unless you also take your laptop, which defeats the purpose)

 

 

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TIME TIPS AND TRAPS

 

·        As we begin the school year, you might want to think about how you’re going to coordinate the schedules of your family members.  Hold a family meeting NOW (especially before the holidays arrive!) and have everyone list their obligations---school, sports, activities, parties, meetings, etc.  Then get a giant wall calendar to note the commitments and keep everyone on track.  You must also copy any appointments that impact your time in your personal time management system.  Whenever a new invitation, commitment, or appointment arises, have the family immediately write it in on the family calendar and notify you of any conflicts.

 

·        I’m constantly amazed by parents who don’t expect their children to help out around the house at the level they are able.  Some people’s plates too full because they’re coddling their children.  For example, my daughter Meagan is only 6 years old and in first grade.  She gets $1 per week, per year of her life, so $6 a week this year.  For that sum, in addition to her standard things like feeding her fish and keeping her room clean, she must do the following weekly:  empty the trashcans around the house into the big one, take down everyone’s laundry into the laundry room, put away the silverware, set and clear the table, play with her brother, and clean the playroom.  It’s not always perfect, but hey, that’s less for me to do!  Even young children can open packaged goods or put bread on the table.  Older kids can chop up ingredients for a casserole, make their own lunches, and sort and fold clothes!  Don’t feel guilty for needing a little time for yourself.  This will create problem-solving, self-sufficient children who can survive after leaving your nest.

 

·        Zap it!  Microwaving is a faster way to cook baked potatoes and fresh or frozen vegetables.  Make sure to microwave in the serving dish, so you’ll have less cleanup.  A bonus: veggies retain more of their vitamins when micro waved instead of cooked in boiling water.

 

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WORDS OF WISDOM

 

"You have to allow a certain amount of time in which you are doing nothing in order to have things occur to you, to let your mind think." -- Mortimer Adler (b. 1902), American philosopher, educator, "How to Read a Book"

"Time as he grows old teaches many lessons." -- Æschylus (525-456 BC), Greek tragic dramatist

"I cannot afford to waste my time making money." -- Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz (1807-73), Swiss-American zoologist, geologist

 

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FEATURED PROGRAM:  “Productivity in the Digital Age: Moving at the Speed of Life…How Fast are YOU?”

 

Text Box: Does the speed of the new economy leave you feeling tested, bested, toasted, and roasted?  We are competing in a race where there’s no “speed limit.”  So you must know how to move quickly, without killing yourself.  Learn how to leave the office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it!  This is NOT your standard time management class…it offers a multitude of innovative strategies for improving your personal productivity.  Get physiological, psychological, behavioral, and environmental tips and ideas from “The Productivity PRO” on performing at your matchless best! 

 

Course Objectives:

·        Discuss the Causes of Overload in the Workplace

·        Find Out if You Are a Workaholic

·        Learn How Humor Increases Productivity

·        Discover Your Energy Prime Times

·        Work the Way Your Brain Works to Increase Output

·        Learn Why Multi-Tasking is Unproductive

·        Discover the Most Important Ten Minutes of the Day

·        Determine if Your Stress Level is Affecting Your Productivity

·        Discuss a Multitude of Innovative Ways to “Create” Time

·        Establish Appropriate Boundaries Necessary to Gain Control

·        Stop the Voices in Your Head and Concentrate on Your Work

·        Discover the Importance of Diet, Exercise, Quiet, Leisure, and Sleep

·        Reduce “Desk Rage” and Personality Irritations that Sap Productivity

·        Control Your Day in an Uncontrollable Workplace

·        Prioritize Your Activities to Create the Greatest Value for Your Time

·        Blend Work and Family Activities More Effectively

·        Evaluate Whether Your Workspace is Ergonomically Correct

·        Stop Procrastinating (We’ll Discuss This Last)

 

“For more information about “Productivity in the Digital Age: Moving at the Speed of Life…How Fast are YOU?” please call 303-471-7401.  Mention this newsletter and receive a 20% discount on this program when brought on-site to your organization.

 

 

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