Techie Talk

How Techies Can Improve Public Perceptions

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t write to a particular industry or paint any industry in a less than flattering light. But, lately I have had a number of web development, IT, and networking professionals ask me what they can do to improve the public perception of their industry.

Many of the professionals I meet proclaim themselves to be one of the good guys and honest business people. They are resentful that a few bad apples have spoiled the bushel where public perception of the industry is concerned. Trouble is, most of the “good guys” are equally, albeit unintentionally, participating in the demise of their industry’s public perception. Most people are aware that there are scammers out there, and know how to spot and avoid these really rotten apples. It’s the slightly bruised apples that we’re afraid of. The ones that look great in the store, but when you get home you throw away half the bag.

I am your target audience, and have had recent experiences in dealing with some of the issues that plague your trade. If you find yourself in the tech trade and wanting to improve your customer relations there are a few things you can do quite simply to enhance your image performance.

1. Remember you are the expert – I am hiring you because you know something I don’t. I don’t want to have to learn all about what you do or how you do it in order to get you to do something. If I wanted to go to all that trouble I’d learn to do it myself. When you go to buy a banana do you want to know how the seeds were genetically altered to enhance flavor and texture? No, you just want a banana. Learning the language to use in your marketing efforts will go a long way in communicating with your public. If you are a techie and only a techie that’s great. I’m sure you do great work, but can you talk to ME? Can you tell ME why I want your product in terms I understand? Can you make it important to ME? If you don’t have or desire the skills to approach your audience, hire a sales professional that can translate your message. Think of it this way – when I buy a car the salesman needs to tell me “it drives great”, “stops on a dime”, “safety features”. If any salesman told me the chemical compounds the molded plastic bumper is made of to prove the safety I’d tune him out and find another dealer faster than the car can go from 0-60. As a small business owner I am your target audience and I will right now very kindly tell you I don’t care. Can you make my website do what I want it to do? That’s all I care about. Tell ME what I want to know. The following clip is snippets from an ad responder that I promptly sent to the trash can (never a good place for YOUR sales copy). After reading the copy I wasn’t sure if this guy was qualified to build a website or land on the moon, but I was certain he couldn’t talk to ME.
   

   
   

   Along the same token, you can’t expect your customer to use the right word to express themselves in your language all the time. Know when to dig deeper and explore what the customer is really trying to say. If I say do-hickey it is your responsibility as the expert to find out what I mean.
   

2. Listen to your customer –If I tell you I want a yellow background and you design a concept around red I won’t be too happy. I’m investing big bucks to get [what I want]. In that vein, I’ve been known to employ testing tactics prior to hiring professionals. Recently, I placed two ads for a web developer (same publication, 2 days apart). The following is a list of criteria I inserted in the ads and the responses I got:
   
   1. Send links to live URL’s for samples, portfolios will not be reviewed – 50 responders sent me portfolios, 35 of which tried to tell me why it was easier for me. One sent a resume with absolutely no sample work – how lame was that guy?
      
   2. In ad #2, I stated “If you responded to ad #xyz do not respond to this ad” – Ten developers failed this test. If you couldn’t follow this direction, what makes me think you can provide me with the solutions I’m looking for?
      

   I recently started a thread in an online forum asking people how they found the web developer they were happy with. I was very specific that I wanted input from customers, not developers. Quite frankly, the developers’ perspective was not what I was looking for. Guess who responded? All but one response was from web designers / programmers. (Does this mean no one has found a developer they’re happy with?) Each person that responded, I would have been happy to do business with, until they proved that my requests don’t matter to them as much as their opinion of themselves.
   

3. Be timely – When doing any pre-sales work that employs a deadline, be sure to make the deadline. The work you do pre-sales presents your image and will tell your prospective client what they can expect from you. Of the web developers I interviewed, 12 told me they would have a proposal to me by X date and were late. This sends me a very clear message that my website will be delivered late. Five didn’t bother to submit at all. I won’t tell you the message that sent.
   
4. Put your best foot forward - Web developers should have the very best of the best of websites. If you can’t do it for you, you won’t be able to do it for me. Reasonable or not, I also expect non-web techies to have the knowledge or the resources to put out a great website. The debate rages if content or graphics are more important. The answer is both. If your site is ugly, you will make me an ugly site. If your site is full of misspellings, you won’t perform quality control. A professional presentation can make or break a deal – I received 5 bids in PDF format with full scope detailed and one that was much cheaper in plain text email. The plain text email was disqualified. If this is how you present yourself, how are you going to handle my company’s presentation? The total package is working together to send your message. What message are you sending?
   

   
    

Turn Your Brainstorming into a Cerebral Hurricane

For most of us, the day-to-day functions of the business world exercise the analytical and routine portions of our brain while the imaginative side becomes atrophied.  Brainstorming is one way to overcome stale thinking. 

Brainstorming, in its proper definition, began as a group activity.  Today, the term has been expanded to refer to a more personal technique for generating new ideas.  There are pros and cons to brainstorming as a group or individually, as well as many “rules”. 

Team time should be used wisely.  You have a 30-minute meeting scheduled.  Do you want to spend it coming up with ideas that range from brilliant to dull to completely off-topic?  Or would you rather spend it developing the good ideas into great ones?  Ask your members to brainstorm individually and come prepared to present the best of their ideas. 

Find your storm synergy.  Sometimes it is effective to brainstorm in pairs.  The energy of two storms combines exponentially to create an energy that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Talk a walk alone in the rain.  (When brainstorming alone or with your partner) remove all common sense from your mind; envision a perfect world scenario; in this world everything works.  Remove roadblocks, worries, negativity, and reasonable or emotional thinking about why your ideas won’t work. 

Splash in the puddles, hold hands, sing songs…in other words, allow your playful side to come out.  A rousing game of “playing pretend” will invigorate your imagination.

Find a path you’re comfortable with.  Your walk in the rain should be like collecting specimens.  Collect shells, plants, flowers, or insects and take them back to your lab or office for further study.  Find and use techniques you are comfortable with, and modify them to suit you.  Some techniques to look into are free association, clouding, journal blasting, or concept mapping/webbing. 

Morning storm green, afternoon storm orange, night storm blue.  Brainstorm the same topics at three different times of day.  As a matter of brain functioning and personal cycles, you will come up with different styles, concepts, ideas, and results.

April Showers bring May Flowers.  Once you have taken your walk in the rain, take time to look out over the landscape and see the bright blooms of after shower glory.  Organize your specimen ideas into ordered bullet points, maps, or linear diagrams.  Spend some time mulling over them, let them grow.  Follow the lead and run through the processes involved in developing your concepts.  The electric air after the storm will charge the energy of your ideas and spring them to life.

Ideas are like wine and cheese.  They can either get better with age, or turn into a moldy soup.  By giving your ideas some time to breath they can mature and develop a wonderful bouquet.  Or you may discover that the passion for your idea wanes over time or isn’t feasible when brought into the real world.

There is a period of sunshine after every storm.  Let your ideas see the light.  Let the flowers of your ideas bloom from the sunshine of feedback.  You may have planted the seeds, but the blooms only come from letting nature take its course.  Take concepts to three or four different groups of people.  Friends are great sounding boards for vitalizing you ideas, but they probably won’t offer the best advice or criticism.  Likewise customers and vendors may shy away from honesty, and you don’t want to appear “flighty” by presenting bad ideas.  Colleagues typically have a similar perspective and may have their own ambitious agendas.  Website polls may give you some idea of public response, but you don’t know who’s responding, why, or how often.  A small business forum may provide insight from professionals that have been in your position.  They are most likely to offer new solutions, ask questions, and hand out harsh criticism, but feedback may be slow and laced with self interest.  Focus groups will get you detailed results, but can be expensive.    By taking your idea to different groups you ensure a balance in the feedback. 

Comments

I’ve just turned on the ability to comment on the posts in this blog.  We’ll see how it goes.

I’d love to hear your feedback.

Maximize Your Habits: Strategies For Breeding Personal Efficiency, Part 4

Maintain Positive Relationships

OK, so we all agree that maintaining positive relationships with clients and vendors is good for business. But, this series is about efficiency. What in the world do relationships have to do with efficiency?

Well, let me tell you. Maintaining positive relationships is the easiest and most effective way you can increase your own efficiency.

We all know the adage that it takes less energy to keep a customer than to find a new one. This extends to all of your resources.

The concept of positive relationships as a method for efficiency building cannot be adequately illustrated when examining positive relationships alone. It is when we delve into the consequences of negative relations that the effectiveness of constructive relationships in regards to efficiency becomes overwhelmingly clear.

When you are involved in a negative relationship either party will:

• Avoid phone calls
• Call more than necessary
• Send derogatory or lengthy emails
• Spend too much time in argument or miscommunication
• Not take direction
• Make errors
• Spend too much mental energy on the subject
• Not be helpful
• Not be forgiving
• Put work to the bottom of the pile
• Participate in sabotage or snooping
• Spend too much time or energy on security issues
• Spend too much time or energy on self-protection
• Spend too much time reviewing the product of the other
• Lose focus
• Participate in additional meetings, gossip, or discussions.

As you can see all of these activities drain time and energy away from productive activity and are a waste of …yes, my favorite….[time, money, resources].

Likewise, there are some business people that try to avoid relationships altogether. This is equally dangerous because every time you need a source you are repeating the steps to locate the source, communicate your expectations, and get deliverables.

No, you’re not going to be best friends with everyone. But if you are someone that concentrates on building relationships you are going to have fewer drains on your focus, energy, efforts, time, money, and resources than those that treat people badly or avoid them altogether.

Here’s what a good relationship can do for you:

• Expectations are established and more likely to be met
• Less repetition in work and communication
• Less error and waste
• People are willing to help you out
• People want to do a good job for you
• There is opportunities for cost savings and reciprocity
• If you happen to make a mistake, you will be met with forgiveness rather than resistance
• Your work becomes a higher priority
• You get faster and more accurate turnarounds
• Regain trust and focus
• Reduce stress and increase energy.

OK, so isn’t there a time and energy commitment involved in building relationships? Quite simply, yes there is. What makes relationship building efficient is the fact that it yields positive results. Giving status reports when you have nothing to report may take a little extra front end time and effort. It saves a lot in the back. But in addition to the desired effect on results, energy is returned back to you. It’s like using a coupon at a discount store AND getting a mail-in rebate!

Maximize Your Habits: Strategies For Breeding Personal Efficiency, Part 3

Boost Your Personal Habits

Mistakes.

The word everyone hates but everyone makes.

Mistakes are costly. Mistakes cost [money, time, resources], ferreting out errors costs [money, time, resource], and corrections costs [money, time, resource], not to mention the impact to customer satisfaction and vendor relations.

The absolute number one offender for lost production is that workers that don’t take care of themselves. Working through the pain or as I like to call it “working through the drain” causes slow-downs in production and unnecessary errors. I’ve done my own personal study in this field and have discovered that 10 minutes of personal care saves an average of 55 minutes in work resulting from errors.

I know. You’re an overachiever. You feel responsible. You feel guilty. You’re supposed to set the standard in dedication. Our culture favors the hard working. The truth is business favors the accurate and the efficient. You will be more efficient, more productive, more dedicated, and harder working by taking some personal TLC steps in your work life.

1. Start Up / Shut Down Routine

When you walk in to your office in the morning establish the right frame of mind by committing to a routine. Turn on your machines, get coffee, read emails, check voice mail, review your task list, and say hello (order and actual content is up to you). There is a physical component in your brain (of which the science I could not possibly explain) that will actively switch from commute or home mode to work mode. This habit will help you remain more focused throughout the day. When leaving the office tidy your desk, turn off machines, and organize files. This will help your brain organize and process the day’s information. Tomorrow, your brain will start the next day fresh.

2. Take Care of Your Health

I’m constantly surprised at how much people actually THINK they get done when they are ill. Physiologically your body is preoccupied. The overly “dedicated” worker that fails to make time for the doctor gets sick more often. If already ill the disease worsens, they miss more time in the long run, and spread disease to others who in turn now must be unproductive. Healthy people are productive people. Hydrate, eat right, and exercise and you will have more energy and focus to dedicate to your work.

3. It’s all In The Attitude

It should go without saying that people that spend time thinking “this can’t be done” quickly become overwhelmed, nut up, and stop functioning. The brain cannot process the conflicting message of “can’t be done” and “do it anyway”. A positive attitude will affect those around you. They will be energized to do more; they won’t waste your time with their complaints. You will have collaborative efforts and foster an environment where better thinking and great ideas come to light. I think there’s an old proverb somewhere that says you will find what you seek. If you seek solutions you will find solutions. If you seek problems and complaints the worker gods will be happy to oblige with mountains of troubles dropped on your doorstep.

4. Know Your Process / Style

By knowing how you operate (physically, psychologically, mentally) you can arrange your workload around your natural cycles and processes. Maximize what you can do by doing it when you can do it best. Knowing your style of operation will help you take advantage of opportune moments, temper reactions, and work with others.

5. Batch Process

I once held a job where I was doing about seven or eight very different functions that in a larger company would have been handled by different departments. When I started I would do things as they came across my desk. I quickly learned that I could be more efficient if I did like things together. Not only could I economize my efforts, but there’s again that silly biological reason this works. The human brain is meant to compartmentalize things. Not only is it a natural thing, we’re trained to categorize from the time we’re toddlers learning that apples are fruit and A, B, and C are letters. Some people can switch functioning faster than others, but all brains are looking for starts and stops. By grouping functions that utilize specific parts of your brain you will be better able to utilize the focus and thinking functions of your brain.

6. Take Breaks

Because your brain is structured to look for starts and stops people that take breaks are more productive than those that don’t. The philosophy that the person that takes two 20 minutes breaks does 20 minutes less work is dead. Bury it and leave it behind. If 20 minutes of inefficient, unproductive, error laden work is important to you, resurrect it. Breaks give the brain a chance to catch up, process what was just done, and what needs to be done next. They reset the switches and reduce fatigue. Breaks can be the formal 10 minute coffee break, a one hour lunch break, a stop at the water cooler, or just switching tasks for a moment. It is important that you step away from your desk a few times throughout the day and get at least some time outside during the course of the day. Your brain is dynamic and needs to be stimulated to work best. Give it a change of scenery and it will repay you tenfold.

7. Know Your Limits

Aghast, yes, we all have limits, even you. People that know their limits know when to stop and get help before they are delving into the unproductive wasteland of self reliance. They do not make commitments they can’t keep therefore don’t need to spend time manipulating schedules or making apologies. Be OK with setting something aside and coming back to it later, asking for help, or delegating.

8. It’s OK to Shut Down

We’ve all worked on a project that required our undivided attention while attached to three external phone lines, six internal lines, two cell phones, a fax machine, five PM conversations, email, radio squawks, and oh yeah four visitors happened to drop in. How much of that project did you get through? How accurate were you? How long did it take? I don’t know about you but there are rare times that I just hit a wall and can’t do anymore. Give yourself permission to have these moments. It’s OK to occasionally shut the door, turn off the devices and hunker into your work. It’s also OK to just not be able to do any more and step away. Take ten minutes or an afternoon and come back refreshed and able. Just be certain to not take advantage, temper this habit with availability, and be able to show an increase in your production. As an employer I prefer an employee that is absent for a minute and gives 100% when present than an employee that is always present but not producing.

So, you’re now thinking I’ve given you the perfect excuse to play hooky. Not so fast buster. I do not condone chronic absenteeism, mentally or physically. These methods are to be met with reason and used as tools to increase efficiency and productivity. I am a firm believer that a healthy worker (mentally, physically, emotionally) is a harder worker. Remember to always keep your eye on the long run. The big picture. The end result. The bottom line. The big red target. Be healthy, be happy, get more done, get more done right, get more done faster, get more done for your clients.

Maximize Your Habits: Strategies for Breeding Personal Efficiency, Part 2

Personal Organization

I know all the Oscar Madison’s of the world are going to shun me for saying so, but good organizational habits are key to developing personal efficiency. But watch out Felix Ungar, you’re no better at efficiency than your Odd Couple pal.

Oscar, the messy roommate, says he can find anything in his “system” it’s everyone else that has a problem. But when put to the test, Oscar is as lost and confused by his muddled mess as everyone else. Conversations with Oscar come with a nice soundtrack that sounds something like “rustle wiss shush oops”. This is the sound of Oscar shuffling papers. This astonishing ability to multi-task is being wasted! It could be put to better use if the backbeat was the sound of sending emails or sorting the mail or anything more productive than moving paper from one place to another for no good reason. Personal efficiency is just as much about respecting the time of those around you as it is about your own personal ability to function. Oscar The Boss tends to rely on support staff for organizational matters. Generally, these are the people that spend needless hours searching for that lost document while Oscar whistles away on to the next project. Think about how much more Oscar could be doing if his (or her) support staff was spending more time supporting and less time as housemaids and researchers. Oscar The Worker faces challenges in communication, deadlines, and inter-office flow that in turn staves production to a trickle of its potential. Oscar The Worker is constantly interrupted by “dumb questions” or explaining what should be self explanatory because others can’t get a handle on the output information. Oscar spends approximately 20 minutes a day more than necessary returning phone calls because of misplaced phone numbers. What could you do with an extra 20 minutes?

Felix, the poor misguided poster child for OCD, screams “a place for everything and everything in its place!” But we must ask Felix (or his young cousin Monk) how productive is the time spent turning every item to precisely protracted angles? Does this activity serve a purpose? Does it help you function? Does it generate new leads? Does it get your product to market? Does it boost sales? Chances are the compulsivity far outweighs any marketable value these traits bring to the offering. Felix The Boss spends too much time making unjust demands on his support staff, draining them of their ability to operate effectively. This personality is prone to criticize menial details, often missing the opportunity to exploit the profitable characteristics of his (or her) staff. Monk The Worker tends to breed resentment among his (or her) colleagues, who in turn retaliate in gossip, self pity, and lost production.

Yes, the Odd Couple analogy is old hack and hopelessly transparent. But, hey, it works, so why fix it? We all know people on both sides of the spectrum and can find a trait or two of each within ourselves if we’re honest.

So, how do we maintain good organizational skills that balance well with remaining efficient and productive?

1. Be farsighted in your organizational approach. Spending a little time or money now may save you countless hours of searching, researching, and excuse making later.
   
2. If there is an inexpensive tool that will help you stay organized, like stacking trays, buy it. The time savings will pay off the product in no time. But, be wary of expensive systems or recurring costs. If a file requires 15 parts to compose then the time savings may just get eaten up by the cost.
   
3. Do not use a single “To Be Filed” box. Separate items upon completion. Use a file sorter, stacking trays, etc. The system doesn’t matter so much as the fact that you have one and everyone knows what it is. If something should be in the file and isn’t this is the next most logical place to look. Don’t burden yourself (or others) by needing to sort through a week’s worth of filing to find one document.
   
4. Have good file habits like purging regularly and labeling file drawers. Treat filing with respect, not as a menial chore. Good filing will pay off and bad filing will cost you.
   
5. Use a contact management system. Again the system doesn’t matter so long as there is one and that there is some kind of inter-office uniformity or understanding. Keeping jotted notes on scraps of paper are big time consumers.
   
6. Don’t count on yourself to remember details. Even if you do, when you’re away the office should be able to function. Write things down and keep notes organized.
   
7. Use color code systems if you find them helpful, but don’t get carried away. Running out of orange folders should not stop you from functioning.
   
8. If you work in a chaotic atmosphere take a few breaks through the day to stop and re-organize.
   
9. Don’t assume that your logic is everyone’s logic. Where you put something is not necessarily where another person would think to look.
   
10. Keep tools you use most often within arm’s reach and work outward from there. Keep personal items on high shelves or opposite corners. We all like to keep the kids close, but the family photos shouldn’t take up valuable workspace.
    

And finally, to quote Monk Episode #1.08:

Monk: It was askew!

Sharona: So what? So what — why can’t you just let people be askew? I mean, what’re you, the Askew Police?

Monk: Yes, I’m the Askew Police.

Point: If you’re not the Askew Police, compulsive straightening is not in your job description. Get back to work!

The Deal About Email

In my professional career I’ve discovered email can be a delightful, wonderful, time saving tool.  Likewise it can be the bane of a professional’s existence sucking and consuming the very productivity from the marrow of a business like a starving vulture.  (Do vultures suck marrow? Anyhow you get the point.)  When are we using email to our good?  When is it more of a problem than it’s worth?  Have you ever thought there should be a license issued to emailers complete with a State Board test?   Would you pass?

How to Make Email Work for You -

Keep your email program open at all times during the work day.

Avoid “You’ve Got Mail” audible notices – they are a distraction. Use visual notifications if your email program allows.

Check your email at natural breaks and treat it like any item in your inbox. This will help you prioritize your work and address emergencies.

Use an organizational strategy for your inbox and saved emails.

There is no rule that you have to stop and reply to every email the second you get it. In fact you probably shouldn’t. You should, however, respond within a reasonable timeframe, even if it’s to say “I’ll get back to you”. To remain efficient, your response time should eliminate repeated attempts to contact you.

Use email as a way to multi-task if you can do so productively. Send basic emails while you’re on the phone, just make sure that your email retains the desired level of professionalism and clients don’t hear you click-clacking away when they expect your attention.

Use email for low priorities or documentation purposes but do not use it for time sensitive matters. Your recipient, just like you, is allowed to be away or unavailable. If you need an answer right away you’re better off to make a phone call.

Use email to broadcast information or announcements that don’t require replies. Because everyone uses reply/forward features differently, multi-recipient conversations by email can quickly become a time drain. Consider other options such as internet meeting platforms or wikis for collaboration.

Use spell check and read all emails aloud. Ask and answer questions clearly and appropriately. It is very easy for a sentence that would flow in conversation to take on double or unclear meanings in writing. For example the question “Do you like red or orange?” can be asking if you happen to like either of those colors at all (yes/no response) or it could be asking which of the two you like better (red/orange response). Answer questions like this with correct and complete answers “I like both red and orange, but of the two red would be my favorite.” Ask for clarity. There’s nothing worse than email-driven miscommunications.

Maintain like subject threads. Do not reference five projects in a single email or use an email for a “by the way on another matter” opportunity. This makes filing and research a nightmare. It is always better to receive five emails than to not be able to find them later.

Emails that pertain to a project or that need to be in the company record should be printed or saved to a project file for information sharing; however there should be a system in place to reduce duplicate printing of threaded conversations. Do not treat company communications as personal or private simply because it was delivered to you via email. Treat correspondence as you would a letter or phone log.

Make sure you are checking your junk mail folder at least once per day for accidentally junked mail. Spamicides will sometimes categorize all important client emails as junk.

To reduce junk mail, enroll in a free email program. Give this address when email is required but you know you won’t want mail from the provider. Check and clear this email weekly, just in case an important message slips through.

If you are not comfortable with a multi-forwarded email or attachments then read only what you can from the preview pane, do not open them.

If you have problems sending or receiving mail from particular email hosts, note this on your email signature, voicemail, and/or website. This will save hours of “I didn’t get it” conversations.

If you will be away be sure to utilize mail forwarding, web mail, or have your email covered. Canned “I’m out” messages are nice, but be sure to include a contact for emergencies.

If you do any bulk emailing, be sure to know your state spam laws. Some will surprise you. A bulk email agent can review your email for spam content to help you remain compliant.

I don’t recommend email capable cell phone devices. Email should be a way to send a message during off hours. If it bothers you at 3:00 AM turn the device off. Your phone will ring every time you get an email, whether you need it or not. There are no devices on the market that handle attachments like your computer. This causes untold hours spent in communications by both you and the sender. I have not seen devices significantly improve productivity, especially when balanced by the loss of time they generate. If you are out of the office frequently, consider other options like carrying a laptop, having an employee read you emails by phone, or simply letting it be known emails are only read at certain hours.

Last but not least:

Do not send or read forwards of forwards of forwards of cutesy stories, jokes, inspirational messages, chain letters, or .gif animations. If you must do this, do it only to personal email addresses. Work is not the place for this type of email. Because so many corporations have automated spyware someone may get in trouble (like fired), not to mention it is stealing company resources (time, space, attention, energy). I received a virus through one of these that took over my address book for a bulk mail which in turn made AOL proclaim me as a he entire domain a spammer, blocking the company’s ability to send to any email to AOL clients for about a year (60% of my vendors were using AOL) crippling our ability to effectively conduct business.

Maximize Your Habits: Strategies for Breeding Personal Efficiency, Part 1

Manage your Inbox / Outbox Strategy

  

1.      Know the Function of an Inbox

Whoever named the inbox did so aptly.  It was not called the junk drawer, the catch-all, the denial pile, the hide it ‘til I find it box, the to-do list, the bury-me-spot, or the suggestion [for what I should be doing] box.  The purpose of the inbox is to collect incoming action items.  This is what it does and all it does.  We’ve all had a co-worker that mismanaged their inbox. The results can be disastrous and embarrassing.  How many times have you heard “I don’t know anything about it” only to discover it had been in the person’s inbox for some unacceptable period buried under, no coincidence here,  the same period’s worth of incoming messages?    

By employing an inbox strategy we can prioritize and manage our time and save ourselves (and co-workers) from countless hours of searching and/or reacting.  There are several strategies, the important thing is to give each item in your in-box a cursory review and move it away from the inbox (see Step 2 Taskmaster Systems).  Here are some suggestions:

• Review items as they are placed in your inbox. 

• Review on a routine schedule; natural breaks, once per hour, four times per day.  

• Categorize your inbox.  Make a separate slot or folder for each category.  Categories should help you prioritize quickly.

• Have specific items placed in a separate location.  For example “to be filed” or “checks to be signed” are placed outside the traditional inbox.    

2.      Taskmaster Systems

Once items have been removed from your inbox you will need a place to put them until you can perform the needed operation.  Any system should:

• Be in your face – don’t place unfinished business in a desk drawer or out of reach.

• Reflect timing issues and priorities.

• Include a grouping strategy or batch processing.

• Act as a reminder.

• Reflect start times, not deadlines.

• Include a place for pending items – things that are awaiting results from others.

 A friend of mine uses a tickler box.  He has a crate with 31 numbered files and he places each task in the numbered file corresponding with the date that he needs to next address the item.  In one former employment I used folders labeled for different categories of work to be done.  The folders were stacked in the order that I would address the groups of work.  Odd items can be placed between folders.  For someone who can work on a first-come-first-serve basis, simply invert the inbox items and place the newest item on the bottom of the pile.  Or try a pile system – one pile for each priority level.  Don’t forget the pending pile.  There are endless options for how you manage your To-Do items; the key is that you have a system that works for you. 

3.      Out Routing

Workers spend the majority of their away-from-desk time delivering items to the inboxes of their colleagues.  Compile a location in your office for outbound items and consolidate your away-from-desk time by delivering to multiple desks.  Just make sure you do it often enough so as not to interrupt the work flow of others.  Use this time to ask if there is anything you are needed for.  Impromptu meetings like this can alleviate a lot of distractions and procrastination down the road.  While you’re up make copies, send faxes, get coffee, and take your break.  Learning to multi-task the time away from your desk will take mere seconds and save hours every week. 

4.      Check voice mail & return phone calls

Checking your voice mail on a regular basis can help you avoid time sensitive emergencies and stay on top of the latest news that may affect your projects in process.  You should have a personal routine that includes checking voice mails in the morning and after periods away from the office or in meetings.  If you can, make a return call commitment on your outgoing message, but only if you can meet this commitment at all times.  Return calls promptly, even if only to say “I don’t know anything yet”.  This will help you avoid the time drain of multiple calls from the same caller.  If you have a receptionist, let them know when you are checking your voice mail and to put new calls on hold and who should not be put to voice mail.   

5.      Checking Emails

Avoid “You’ve Got Mail” audible notices – they are a distraction.  Use visual notifications if your email program allows.  Check your mail at natural breaks and treat it like any item in your inbox.  This will help you prioritize your work and address emergencies.  Use an organizational strategy for your email program’s inbox and saved emails.  There is no rule that you have to stop and reply to every email the second you get it.  In fact you probably shouldn’t.  You should, however, respond within a reasonable timeframe, even if it’s to say “I’ll get back to you when I know more”.  Use email as a way to multi-task when possible.  For more on effective use of email see my post titled The Deal About Email to follow.

In the next edition of Maximize Your Habits we will explore organizing for efficiency. I look forward to seeing you then.

Time Management, Efficiency, and Productivity

The last post listed time management tips.  This series will explore productivity, efficiency and time management as separate concepts.  Let’s define these terms for clarification.

Time management – The way in which you schedule or make the best use of your time.

Efficiency – the amount of energy expended to complete a task. An efficient system utilizes the least possible [time, money, resources] to complete a task.

Productivity – the amount of work accomplished.

Time management is certainly a factor of efficiency; however it is not efficiency’s sole component.  Likewise, in order to be productive it is not enough to be efficient.  Being efficient simply frees up [time, money, resources] that can be then be applied towards getting more work accomplished, e.g. being more productive.  But, once one has achieved efficiency the remaining effort [time, money, resources] can also be utilized for rest, fun, or just plain goofing off.  In order to be productive one must make the conscious choice to apply the newfound energy [time, money, resources] towards accomplishing more work.

Look for our next articles in this series which will address solutions for efficiency and productivity. 

10 Tips for Time Management

In my line of work I often hear people say they wish for an eight day week with 25 hours per day. How much more could I get done with just one more hour in a day or one more day in a week? The fact is, there are 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week and no matter what we wish for, this isn’t going to change. Nor would it change how much we can get done. The better question is “how can I make manage my time better?” Here are 10 things you can do to manage your work day.

1. Employ a simple to-do list. Make sure your list is simple and that making the list doesn’t take away from your productive time. If you can do the task faster than you can write it down, just do it. Organize the list in the order you would like to do the tasks and focus on critical path items.
2. Have a separate calendar for recurring tasks. This should be more like an appointment book. If the task isn’t time sensitive then assign the time of day that you would like to do the task.
3. Group tasks into like things. You’ll be able to focus better by doing like things together. For example, do all accounts payables tasks at the same time of day, and later do all your accounts receivable tasks. If you find yourself making a single label ten times a day, then avoid the duplicated efforts by gathering them for later and make them all at once.
4. Only schedule 75% of your work day. If you plan to work 8 hours your planned tasks for the day should only account for 6. This allows ample time for interruptions and things that come up that may be more important than what you’d planned on doing.
5. Refer to your to do list often. Are you on track? Do you need to make adjustments? What comes next? No matter how good your list is it’s worthless if you don’t look at it. Things will come up that change your plans for the day. Make adjustments when you need to.
6. Do not use pop up reminders or alarm bells! They are a distraction and you’re most likely to ignore it. It takes valuable time to enter them in, and to hit the snooze. If you’re referring to your to do list you don’t need this anyway.
7. Do the little things first. Having a bunch of small things in your mind is distracting when trying to tackle a larger project. It’s too easy to put off the little things; then they can become big problems.
8. Set one goal for the day. Have a “if I get this done my day was productive” item. This builds confidence and assures you get your highest priority task accomplished.
9. Remain structured but flexible. Having a plan will help you get started, but things will come up that need to be addressed.
10. Organize your materials. Layout the files or documents you need for each task and put them in a “to-do” pile in order of how you’d like to get them done. Have folders for “like items”, for example if you have three purchase orders to write, place the three estimates in one folder. Use this technique to manage your in-box.