We have learned the hard way that every hour spent looking for or sorting through information, whether the search is electronic or manual, is an hour that you are not finding new leads, new ideas, and new opportunities. Every wage dollar lost trying to find the right information at the right time—and it can be calculated—diffuses both you and your company's competitive edge.
The amount of information and technological resources available in business has grown exponentially and will continue to do so. It's never been more important to investigate the capabilities of technology and to make sure that you are investing in and using the specific technology that works best for you.
As a manager, you need to focus not just on having the most efficient computer hardware and software, but you also need to understand how electronic resources really work. Make it a point to learn how to apply the electronic tools that you select to their best advantage. Keep in mind that today's technology represents one to three former staff members. Now we need to see technology in the same way as our predecessors used to cultivate their staff in the past. It's all about doing more with fewer people resources—without impacting the quality of our products or services.
Control your work situation before it controls you
Frankly, the way you approach the following six key issues can substantially impact how well you are in control of your daily work situation.
- Time Management—Wherever possible, try to set up systems for routine tasks and be realistic about expected outcomes for an average workday.
- Project Management—Be sure to organize the significant parts of any project so you're not drained before you start.
- Handling Incoming Items—Keep your inbox empty! Process each item as you review it. Set up a system. Discard, delegate, take action immediately, or file the item. Don't just throw it into a "pending" pile to deal with "sometime" later.
- Prioritization—At the end of each day, set aside time to prioritize your tasks for the next day. It will give you a leg up the next morning.
- Personality/Psychological Issues—Be realistic about your capabilities and capacity. Know what you can and cannot do yourself. By knowing when to call in the experts, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed with tasks and frustrated by a lack of measurable progress.
- Implementing Practical Systems—Good technology should maximize efficiency or it is not a good investment. Get only those items that best suit your needs, and then use them to your best advantage.
Does email make you feel like you're on top of everything, but can't get to the bottom of anything?
When it comes to electronic communications, most people don't realize that the average businessperson now sends and receives about 90-plus business-related email messages (not counting spam) each and every day. That means people are spending at least 28 to 94 minutes per day just handling email messages. It's no wonder so many of us feel as though we're buried in an electronic quagmire!
After listening to so many complaints about this continuously growing problem, I developed Ten Tools to Overcome an Overwhelmed Email Inbox:
- Send short, clear messages whenever possible and train colleagues to do the same.
- Include messages in the subject line; that way the recipient does not need to open the email to get the information. Example: November meeting—Alessandro will attend (eom)— which means "end of message."
- Create an electronic signature block with all of your contact information to insert into each email and use your full name and company identification in the FROM field.
- Establish individual folders for key clients and activities.
- Create a Casual Reading folder for newsletters and similar subscriptions.
- Learn to use your email system's filters, rules, and blocking tools.
- Little or no white space in your email "in-box" should trigger an email processing action (delete, forward, action, follow-up).
- Rename the subject line with a pertinent term so that processing and filing the message is easier for both you and the recipient.
- DO NOT SEND inspirational, "you'll love this," "I don't normally forward these, but this is really funny," "YOU MUST READ THIS" emails to anyone other than a personal friend who is willing to accept these and send the same clutter your way.
- Think before hitting "REPLY-ALL," and recognize that email is public and forever.
So, start small and shore up your email behavior. Then move on to other technological tools and see what you can do to make them work better for you. Or, if you prefer, start working from the inside out by adopting the six key points mentioned earlier. Either way, you're sure to find some improvement is using today's technology as your 21st century support staff.
About the Author
Kathleen Alessandro is president of ENERGIZED SOLUTIONS, LLC, a Michigan-based consulting firm that provides project management, productivity consulting, training, and program design services to businesses and non-profit organizations.
With more than 30 years of practical experience in business management, grant development, program design, training, project organization, and implementation, Alessandro's clients value her practical yet highly effective techniques for handling the productivity challenges of the 21st century.
Alessandro is a co-author of two books: Focus, Organization, Productivity, Ideas for Improving Success in the Workplace (2006) and Exploring Productivity (2007). She has been a speaker at numerous national settings including the U.S. Senate Labor Subcommittee on Employment and Productivity, the National Alliance of Business, the National Association of Counties, the President's Commission on Employment Policy, the Michigan Senate Appropriation Committee, and the National Entrepreneurship Institute. Alessandro has consulted in the development of two documentaries focusing on the permanent workforce changes in the U.S. economy (Layoff and the NBC White Paper America Works When America Works).
Alessandro is president of the National Association of Women Business Owners' (NAWBO) Greater Detroit Chapter. In addition, she is a Golden Circle member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), and is an authorized consultant for a select group of internationally recognized productivity programs. She possesses a B.A. in political science from Marygrove College in Detroit, MI.
Energized Solutions LLC
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