Wouldn't it be handy if you could open up your brain, scoop out information that is outdated, then insert a microchip that would put you on the cutting edge?
To thrive in today's world, you may have to do just that when it comes to reinventing your time management skills for the 21st Century.
In a recent time management program, a participant brought to class a cell phone, a pager, a PDA and a laptop. He was proud of his technology gadgets and the amazing feats they could perform. The purpose at purchase time was to stay more organized but deciding which feature to use on which gadget and which gadget to use for which function confused him.
Your personal reinvention of time management skills for the 21st Century demands that you pick the best technology gadgets that will fit with your personal style of time management. Reinvention of time management skills also means understanding the power of the software loaded on your technology tool. Reinvention requires handling the deluge of e-mail, a 21st Century work activity, while keeping up with projects, daily tasks and calendar appointments. A tool that synchronizes with Microsoft Outlook is the right choice if you use Outlook on your desktop.
When you got your Outlook tutorial from IT, you probably listened the most intently to the e-mail instruction because it was immediately useful. If however, after years of sending and receiving e-mail you still use Outlook mainly for e-mail, you are only using about 15-20 percent of the power you paid Bill Gates for the privilege of using. To fully take advantage of what you purchased, you need to change your paradigm, or "unlearn" that Microsoft Outlook is primarily an e-mail program and that the calendar is only for appointments and meetings.
Reinventing your time management skills as they apply to the Microsoft calendar involves using the calendar as a place to plan the flow of your day in addition to keeping your meetings and appointments. For instance, if on today's date, you need to:
- Take your suit to the dry cleaners
- Make a ticket to Chicago for the conference next month
- Ensure that HR gets your updated insurance changes
- Have a package ready for FedEx pickup by Noon
- Finish the Telco project by 2:00 pm
These are not "meetings" such as the meeting scheduled with your manager at 10:00 am or the team meeting at 2:00 pm, but adding the above items as calendar events and then estimating the time it will take you to complete each item gives you graphic and sometimes shocking information on the discretionary versus the non-discretionary time available during your work hours. This kind of information helps you to work leaner, cut out unnecessary steps and combine errands while reducing and simplifying.
This expanded way to use the Outlook calendar is not brain surgery but this reinvention of mindsets is complicated because it is easier to keep doing what you have always done. Rather than invest the three to four short hours needed to be fully functional in Outlook it is easier to mutter under your breath "I'm not that far behind," or "I can catch up tomorrow."
I know because my preferred style of functioning is to learn the bare necessities relevant to my immediate needs. Does this also describe you and your Microsoft Outlook usage? Once you got e-mail down and you stumbled onto other features, were you amazed?
This instruction on time management and Microsoft Outlook gives you actionable strategies and techniques for using 100% of Microsoft Outlook. The principles I taught will help you handle your workload and increase the time you spend in high payoff activities.
Author Resource:-
Certified Speaking Professional, workplace consultant and an expert in leadership for a more productive workplace. She works with organizations who want to be competitive in the 21st century global marketplace. Give your career a boost: visit www.timeforresults.com
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