"The Productivity PRO!"(R) news"E"letter

 Number 56,
January 2004

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

"The Productivity PRO!"(R) news"E"letter is a monthly
electronic newsletter distributed to our clients, human
resource personnel, and colleagues to help them leave the
office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it!

If you enjoy this newsletter, please forward it to
interested associates so they may subscribe.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to www.theproductivitypro.com/r_subscribe.htm.

___________________________________________________
In This Issue:

* Message from Laura
* Upcoming Teleseminars
* Feature Article: "In 2004, Resolve to Leave the Office
Earlier!"
* Time Tips and Traps
* Hot Links: NEW!
* Words of Wisdom
* Topic of the Month
* Ask the Expert
* Letters to the Editor
* Featured Seminar: "How to Set and Achieve Goals"
* Where in the World is Laura?
* Contact and Subscription Information

___________________________________________________
Message from Laura

If you're like me, the holidays leave you feeling
overwhelmed and behind, not relaxed. I have to remind
myself: this is a brand-new year! A year full of adventure,
sorrow, happiness, dreams-come-true, and hopes dashed.
Ahhhh...life. Glorious with its twists and turns. Celebrate
each day! Remember: life can make you bitter, or life can
make you better.

This is the perfect time of year to catch your breath, sit
back, and take a fresh look at your objectives for 2004.
Admittedly, I'm not a big believer in New Year's
resolutions. Frustrated by habits like being disorganized,
or not exercising, many of us vow to change and make a
New Year's resolution. "This year, I'll walk on my
treadmill three times a week," we pledge, and by May, it's
gathering dust down in the basement. Defeated, many
people give up further attempts to change. Instead, I want
to encourage you to take small steps toward your goals
every day or week. If you can do just a little bit to get
going, you'll soon feel the positive effects of the change.
And that little bit of change can lead to long-term healthy
habits that last far beyond New Year's Day!

My wish for you in 2004 is a traditional new year's
sentiment: "May the worst day of 2004 be better than the
best day of 2003!"

Wishing you happiness, health, and properity in 2004.

Laura

___________________________________________________
Upcoming teleseminars: Each teleseminar corresponds
with a chapter in "Leave the Office Earlier" and comes
complete with a self-study workbook!

For detailed outlines and to register, go to
http://www.theproductivitypro.com/program_
teleseminar.html

JANUARY 19, 2004: "REDUCTION: Eliminating Speed
Bumps and Time Leaks"
Time: 4:00 Eastern, 3:00 Central, 2:00 Mountain, 1:00 Pacific
Duration: One hour
Investment: $29

Description: With a finite amount of time available, if you
wanted to get more done, the temptation is to go faster and
work more hours. However, productivity is not about
squeezing more into your days. This chapter helps you
determine how you can reduce things that waste your
time, called "speed bumps." By eliminating speed bumps,
you create the space to accomplish the important. This
teleseminar outlines ten potential speed bumps and gives
you ideas for reducing their effects.

Teleseminar objectives:
· Eliminate the cause of most problems and avoid crisis.
· Control and prevent interruptions.
· Handle drop-in visitors and co-workers effectively.
· Say "no" to requests you don't have time for.
· Recognize personal shortcomings that lead to decreased
organizational productivity.
· Reduce the time you spend tied up in irrelevant,
unnecessary meetings.
· Eliminate all unnecessary tasks from your
responsibilities.
· Get rid of everything you don't need or use: live simply.
· Delegate properly and don't do tasks others are capable
of performing.
· Keep socializing during work hours to an appropriate
level.

JANUARY 26, 2004: ORDER: Organizing Information and
Creating Systems
Time: 4:00 Eastern, 3:00 Central, 2:00 Mountain, 1:00 Pacific
Duration: One hour
Investment: $29

Description: Order relates to your level of organization in
your personal and professional lives. It's how well you
control the paper, email, reading material, and inputs into
and out of your office. Order is your ability to sort, filter,
and process information effectively. It's also your ability to
FIND what you want, when you want it. It's how tidy your
work areas look, inside and out.

Teleseminar objectives:
· Realize that some people aren't "born" more organized
than others.
· Create a clutter-free work surface.
· Learn where to put "pending" items or papers requiring
future action.
· Organize your files and find essential information when
you need it.
· Sort, process, and store information quickly and
systematically.
· Toss unnecessary papers and avoid the packrat
syndrome.
· Touch things only once and become more decisive.
· Learn the proper use for sticky notes.
· Know the contents of every cabinet, drawer, and storage
space in your office.
· Create a systematic plan to stay organized.

For detailed outlines and to register, go to
http://www.theproductivitypro.com/program_
teleseminar.html

__________________________________________________
Feature Article: "In 2004, Resolve to Leave the Office
Earlier!"

This is the perfect topic for the first month of a brand new
year! Staying late started innocently enough: “If I just stay
a little later today, I can catch up’ on this work I haven’t
been able to get to.” Eight hours went to nine. It became a
habit. Then: “If I just take this reading home with me, I can
‘catch up’ after the kids go to bed.” Nine hours went to ten.
You did this on a regular basis; 60-hour weeks became the
norm. Sure, if you’re starting a new business or have an
important short-term project, you’ll have to put in some
extra hours. But if years later you’re still working those
hours, it’s now a habit. You have forgotten what it’s like to
have a free weeknight or weekend.

Where do we draw the line when it comes to life balance?
Is the worker the one who draws it? Does that task belong
to our companies or to society? It’s difficult to define
where personal responsibility ends and companies’
responsibility begins. I think both share it. In the final
analysis, responsibility for your life is yours alone. You
must draw the line and insist on leaving work on time to
create the balance for yourself. If you don’t, you will
perpetually chase the clock.

I’ve studied many successful people and discovered they
place a high priority on not working extreme hours and
striking a healthy balance between work and home. Here
are some strategies to help you draw the line and leave
work on time:

* Stop participating in the cultural rules. Commit to
getting out the door on time. Who decided that you
should work until 7:00 PM? Are you getting paid for 40
hours or 60 hours? How much is the time “you’re devoting
because you’re a salaried employee and obligated to do
what it takes to get the job done” worth?

* Start meetings before 4:00 PM. If you have some say or
control regarding meeting times, schedule them to end by
4:30. Preferably, start meetings right after lunch. Block out
your calendar beginning at 4:00 every day, so people can’t
schedule with you. Set a good example and encourage
others to do the same. If you have an assistant or a team
that reports to you, don’t ask people to begin projects at
4:45 PM. Respect their right to a life, too.

* Be assertive. Don’t be afraid to tell others, “I leave work
at 5:00, on time, every day. I have a 5:30 commitment I
must adhere to.” It’s none of their business that your
commitment is with yourself or your family. People tend
to support others when their goals are made public.

* Schedule fixed office hours. If you have an assistant,
block off certain hours a few days a week to accept
appointments. Perhaps Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,
you take appointments from 9:00 to 10:30 and 2:00 to 3:30.
This way, you don’t have interruptions overlapping the
time you’re trying to leave the office.

* Make preparations to leave. Gather up your coat and put
it in a visible spot so others can see you’re closing shop.
Close your door a few minutes before quitting time so
people will think you’re busy or already gone. Whatever
they want, it can wait until tomorrow.

* Challenge your assumptions. Long hours aren’t “the
way it is.” To reduce the time pressure you feel, decide to
reclaim your day…not by working longer, but to finish
your work within the workday. Don’t focus on “catching
up.” You will never catch up. There will always be more
things to do than there is time to do them. People have a
tendency to create work to fill up any amount of time they
have. They’ll accomplish the same amount of work in a 45-
minute meeting as a 90-minute meeting. When working
late is a habit, you tend to slack off a little. By being more
productive during the day, you’ll get the same amount of
work done…and leave earlier.

* Start small. Think about how productive you are right
before you go on vacation. Everything inside of you
supports your desire to leave! The unimportant things
magically disappear, and you focus on higher-value
activities. Similarly, you can pick a single day, perhaps
Thursdays, to be “the” day you leave work on time. To
support this decision, you will automatically begin to be
more productive on Thursdays and work your day more
carefully. Even though you work a normal workday on
Thursday, you don’t get any less work done. After you
sense what it’s like to have Thursday nights to yourself,
you benefit from a system of self-reinforcement, because
you enjoy the rewards you created. Then add another day,
like Monday, and do the same thing. Keep working on
productivity skills and adding more days, until you’re
working your 40-hour workweek again and accomplishing
even better results.

Keep in mind, the problem is not a shortage of time. The
problem is your habits, which collectively create
decreased productivity. Don’t unwittingly fall into the trap
of throwing more time at problems.

Remember: Work isn’t life! You are working to live, not
living to work. Yes, you want to be productive. You want
to enjoy your work and get raises and promotions. But
you need a worthwhile life in the process. Become a role
model for others to seek equilibrium and find a life of their
own…something worth leaving the office earlier for.

My hope for you is that this book will help you avoid that
trap. No…actually…my hope is that this book will help
you take a different path. The easiest way to not fall into
the trap is to stay far away from it.

Make it a productive day!


(C) Copyright 2004 Laura Stack, MBA, CSP. All rights
reserved. Portions of this newsletter may be reprinted in
your organization or association newsletter, provided the
following credit line is present:

"Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP, is "The Productivity PRO," (R)
helping people leave the office earlier, with less stress, and
more to show for it. She presents keynotes and seminars
on time management, information overload, and personal
productivity. Contact her at 303-471-7401 or
Laura@TheProductivityPro.com."

___________________________________________________
Time Tips and Traps

If you use photos in PowerPoint, they often make the file
size of the presentation unwieldy for electronic
transmission. To decrease file size, open the PPT file and
click on the desired photo. Then go to "Format" in the
drop down menu and select "Picture." At the pop-up
window under the "Picture" tab, select the "Compress"
button. Then change the resolution to "Web/Screen" and
click "OK." This reduces the resolution from 200 dpi to 96
dpi.

New standards for spam: The new CAN SPAM Act will not
ban spam outright, but rather will create a set of standards
that must be followed. For unsolicited commercial e-mail,
the new regulations would:

· prohibit senders from falsifying or disguising their
true identity;
· prohibit the use of misleading subject lines;
· prohibit the harvesting of e-mail addresses by either

(1) automatic means from an Internet Web site or
proprietary online service maintained by a third party that
bans this practice; or

(2) an automated system that generates possible electronic
addresses by combining names, letters and numbers in
numerous permutations;

· prohibit businesses from knowingly promoting
themselves through false or misleading e-mails;
· require the inclusion of a legitimate return e-mail and
physical postal address for the sender;
· require the inclusion of a functioning opt-out
mechanism, clear and conspicuous notice of the
opportunity to opt-out and require senders to honor any
such opt-out request;
· require clear and conspicuous notice that the message
is an advertisement or solicitation; and
· require messages with sexually oriented material to
be so clearly identified.

Potentially liable parties under the Act is quite broad, as
the Act implicates not only the individuals actually
distributing the spam e-mails, but also extends to
companies who procure their services. In fact, if a
company knowingly permits a third-party spammer to act
on its behalf, it is subject to prosecution under the Act.
Thus, companies or individuals enlisting the services of e-
mail distributors had better take care to ensure that e-mails
being sent on their behalf by distributors are in compliance
with the law.

Criminal and civil penalties: violators of the Act can be
subject to stiff criminal penalties, which include fines and
up to five years in prison. Civil damages can amount to as
much as $250 per spam e-mail, which can add up fast, as
spam e-mails frequently are distributed to many
thousands people at a time. Moreover, aggravated
violations can cause civil damages to be tripled. The Act
empowers federal and statute authorities, as well as
Internet access providers, to institute civil actions against
offenders.

__________________________________________________
Hot Links: NEW!

COMPANIES perk up benefits, USA Today. Companies
are maintaining non-traditional benefits to maintain
morale and boost productivity.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/workplace/2003-12-2
4-perks_x.htm

FRANKLINCOVEY(R) Offers Tips for Making and
Keeping New Year's Resolutions.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=
SVBIZINK3.story&STORY=
/www/story/12-23-2003/0002080412&EDATE=
TUE+Dec+23+2003,+11:40+AM

PERFUMES present unseen problems in workplace, New
Haven Register, CT. Perfumes are a concern when they
lead to absence or a decline in worker productivity.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=
10721089&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=7546&rfi=6

__________________________________________________
Words of Wisdom

"In the first round of work simplification...you can
reasonably expect a 30 to 50 percent reduction...To
implement the actual simplification, you must question
why each step is performed. Typically, you will find that
many steps exist in your work flow for no good reason.
Often they are there by tradition or because formal
procedure ordains it, and nothing practical ordains it." --
Andrew S. Grove - CEO Intel Corp

"Time is like money: the less we have of it to spare the
further we make it go." -- Josh Billings

"Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands
still for a woman of 30." -- Robert Frost

___________________________________________________
Topic of the Month

Each month, I'll invite comments on a topic (if you have a
topic idea or dilemma, let me know). Responses will be
posted in the next month's newsletter.

DECEMBER TOTM:

What is the biggest waste of time in your workplace?

Please send your
brief response (75-100 words) directly to
Laura@TheProductivityPro.com. Please put "Topic of the
Month" or "TOTM" in the subject line.

___________________________________________________
Ask the Expert

Q: Laura,

Do you have any suggestions that would help those of us
that are adults with ADHD. It is so hard to concentrate on
one thing and finish it. I constantly find myself ending the
day with a dozen projects half completed due to
interruptions. I can't even remember what I was working
on before I was interrupted and I begin something new. It
is funny that you mention thinking on an airplane. I
normally hate to read (can't stay focused that long), but I
have no problem reading on a plane. I don't really
understand it but it works. Unfortunately, I don't fly that
often. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated.

Pat A.


A: Dear Pat,

Great question. Go to
http://www.theproductivitypro.com/resources_articles.html
and check out the September 2001 back-issue on multi-
tasking. Also May 2002 on the tickler file is usually
helpful for adults with ADHD.

A simple sticky-note pad may help too...when I'm
interrupted, I hold up my pointer finger to indicate "just a
minute," I grab a note, I write down my very last thought,
stick it on the paper, then turn my attention to the visitor.
When the visit is over, I glance down at my note to
remember what I was thinking.

To really get some space and time to concentrate, like
reading, you'll need to "escape" to somewhere quiet
(where hopefully no one can find you). The fact that you
can concentrate on a plane means you'll need to create that
artificial environment. Perhaps an empty conference
room?

Hope this helps!

Laura

___________________________________________________
Letters to the Editor

Laura,

To add to your advice on organizing articles from Reader's
Digest, there is another option. These days many
magazines are available online in full text. Brian should
check with his local public library to see if they have a
subscription to one of those databases and if that database
contains the articles he is interested in. Then he would
have no need to keep them in paper or even scan them, he
would just go to the database and do a keyword search
when he needs something.

Jenna O.
Information Services Librarian

__________________________________________________
Featured Seminar: "How to Set and Achieve Goals"

Program Description

What would make you happy? Being happy means living
up to your highest vision of yourself. So make your
dreams come true! The ideas floating around in your head
must be turned into goals to become actionable. This
course teaches you how to determine and implement your
goals. Once set, your goal will act like a magnet—pulling
you towards it!

Learning Objectives:
· Assess Your Motivation to Change
· Take The Chore Out of Goal Setting With a Simple
Approach to the Future
· Learn the SPAGHETTI Model for Creating Effective
Goals
· Design Your Ideal Life
· Define Your Vision of Success
· Create Step-By-Step Action Plans to Realize Your
Short and Long-Term Goals
· Identify Milestones, Resources Needed, and Potential
Obstacles to Reaching Your Goal
· Examine Factors Affecting Your Goal, Such as
Prioritization, Time Wasters, and the 80/20 Rule
· Learn to be Competent Instead of Compete
· Overcome Procrastination

__________________________________________________
Where in the World is Laura?

Jan 7, 2004 Denver, CO 01:00 PM
Jan 9, 2004 Denver, CO 08:30 AM
Jan 12, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Jan 13, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Jan 15, 2004 Denver, CO 09:00 AM
Jan 19, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Jan 26, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Jan 28, 2004 Denver, CO 08:30 AM
Feb 3, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Feb 3, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Feb 4, 2004 Denver, CO 08:30 AM
Feb 6, 2004 Minneapolis, MN 09:30 AM
Feb 9, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Feb 11, 2004 Denver, CO 09:00 AM
Feb 16, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Feb 20, 2004 Wichita, KS 01:00 PM
Feb 23, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Feb 24, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Mar 1, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Mar 4, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Mar 8, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Mar 16, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Mar 16, 2004 Denver, CO 02:00 PM
Mar 17, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Mar 24, 2004 Cheyenne, WY 09:00 AM
Apr 6, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Apr 21, 2004 Denver, CO 09:00 AM
Apr 27, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
May 3, 2004 Denver, CO 08:30 AM
May 4, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
May 10, 2004 Denver, CO 08:30 AM
May 18, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
May 27, 2004 Nashville, TN 12:00 PM
Jun 3, 2004 Denver, CO 09:00 AM
Jun 8, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Jun 29, 2004 New Orleans, LA 02:15 PM
Jul 1, 2004 Denver, CO 08:00 AM
Jul 7, 2004 Denver, CO 09:00 AM
Jul 14, 2004 Atlanta, GA 08:00 AM
Jul 26 - 27, 2004 Denver, CO 09:00 AM
Aug 23, 2004 Denver, CO TBA
Aug 24, 2004 Denver, CO 09:00 AM

___________________________________________________
Contact and Subscription Information

(C) 2004 Laura Stack, MBA, CSP. All rights reserved.
Portions of this newsletter may be reprinted in your
organization or association newsletter, provided the
following credit line is present:

"Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP, is "The Productivity PRO," (R)
a personal productivity expert who helps people leave the
office earlier, with less stress, and more to show for it. She
presents keynotes and seminars on time management,
information overload, and personal productivity."

Phone: 303-471-7401
Email: Laura@TheProductivityPro.com
Website: www.TheProductivityPro.com
Address: 9948 S. Cottoncreek Drive
Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80130

To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to
www.theproductivitypro.com/r_subscribe.htm.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to
interested associates so they may subscribe.