Timely Tips© Volume 2 Issue 2: February 2005 — "The Travel Maestro -- Part II"

So you are sitting at your gate in the airport, waiting patiently for the agents to call for boarding for your flight. And then, out of nowhere, the announcement comes across the loudspeaker, "Flight 371 Washington to Detroit has been canceled due to mechanical difficulties. Please see the gate agent to reschedule your flight." Your flight has just been canceled. What do you do???

Well, if you are like most people, you immediately jump up and make a mad dash to the agent counter, just like 200 other people, and your ability to get back home today, or make it to that critical meeting, completely depends on how fast you can sprint! Or, if you are a savvy traveler, you pull out your PDA or planner, look up the 800 reservations number for your airline, casually pull out your cell phone, and call the 800-number without panic. By the time the second person in line starts talking to an agent, you are already speaking with the telephone ticket agent and rescheduling your flight -- thus bypassing all of those poor souls standing in the ticket line.

This is one of the better traveling tips that I've come across over the years, and I've actually had the opportunity to use it once or twice. It is a great little time saving tip, but it works best if you have that 800-number handy. Every minute you lose trying to track that number down means more seats from the next flight are disappearing.

Because of this, I make a regular habit of keeping valuable travel-related 800 numbers in my PDA. I have a special category in my PDA "Memo Pad" named "Travel". In this category, I have memos with important 800-numbers, not only for the airlines, but also for major hotel chains and car rental chains. That way, whenever I need them, I've got them handy and ready to use. (The "Travel" category would also be a good place to store your "packing list" memos mentioned in last month's
Timely Tips.)

I have added these memos to my Web site, http://www.randalldean.com (click on the link to the free Memo Pad downloads), so that you can easily cut and paste them into your own PDA
Memo Pad, or simply print them out and add to your planner. Now, of course, these memos are not comprehensive -- they list some of the larger national airlines, hotel chains, and car rental organizations. If you frequently travel to other parts of the world, or use hotels or car rental companies not on these lists, note the "Resources" listing at the bottom of these memos. You can visit these Web sites for significantly more comprehensive 800-number lists, as well as links to these companies' web sites. Add whatever companies that you frequently use to your
list, to make the information customized to you.

I hope this helps you become a more organized traveler, as well as save you some valuable time over the years while traveling. Next month, I'll share one more very handy traveler tip. Until then, stay Timely!

Timely Tips© Volume 2 Issue 1: January 2005 — “The Travel Maestro”

I hope that all of you have had a happy, restful, and enjoyable holiday season. Now, you are probably getting back into the swing of things, and diving into the inherent craziness that a new year brings. For many of you, that probably means getting back on the road again for business travel. Even if you don't travel much for business, you may be beginning to plan your personal trips or vacations for the year.

I have been traveling for business and for pleasure regularly for more than 15 years now. When I first started traveling, I would have classified myself as a "clumsy" traveler -- I was very unorganized and likely to forget important if not critical items on my trips. I have wasted valuable time and money looking for and buying stuff that I already owned but forgot to pack. And I had a propensity to make the same mistakes packing more than once.

As a matter of fact, I remember well when I took a trip to visit a possible employer for a job interview. I was in a city I was unfamiliar with, but I thought I packed everything that I needed. As I dressed for the interview that morning with my nicest black suit, I realized that I hadn't packed an appropriate pair of nice black dress socks. I figured that showing up with a black suit and gym socks would probably pre-empt any chances of getting the job, but I was also in a downtown area not close to any big box stores. The interview was at 9:00 a.m., and most of the city department stores didn't open until 9:30 or 10:00. I was in a fix! If it wasn't for a VERY kind store clerk that opened the door for me early, I would have really been left in an unwinnable situation. I never did tell anyone that day that I was wearing a pair of women's dress socks, as that was the only pair the store had that would work, although I do believe I may have been a bit more sensitive in the interview than typical. ;-)

From that point forward, I vowed to never forget items on a trip, and I thought about my training in time and project management and came up with a very simple solution. I created a memo in my planner that was a standard pack list for business trips. Every time that I went on a trip, I would check my list as I packed for the trip to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything useful. It was also handy when I packed to go home to make sure I wasn't forgettting anything in the hotel. And, over time, as I traveled, I kept adding items to the list that I thought would be useful, so the list has grown and evolved over time.

When I switched to the Palm platform a few years ago, I built a standard memo in my memo pad, in the "Business" category, which now acts as my pack list, and I just carry my Palm around with me as I pack to make sure I have everything I need. I even created a few new "specialty" packing lists, including lists for personal trips/vacations, hiking/camping trips, and even trips where we are taking the baby. These lists also have grown and evolved over time, and are much more inclusive than originally. Now, it is very rare that I forget something on a trip, although I do have the propensity to "overpack" a bit now.

This is a fun and simple idea -- one I would like for each of you to take advantage of. Because of that, I have actually posted many of these packing memos on my Web site (www.randalldean.com). You can go to the site, and click on the link for FREE PDA Memo Pad downloads. You'll find several of the packing lists that I've mentioned, as well as a memo that details my daily routine for organizing my information overload and my weekly update process for maintaining the quality of my time management/organization system. I encourage you to visit the site today for these free downloads. (You can also find info on some new courses I am offering in different cities around the U.S., as well as business updates in the "News" section.)

Now you can experience the greatly reduced stress level that accompanies well organized business or personal travel. Maybe you can actually even enjoy your trips now!

Timely Tips©: Volume 1, Issue 4; December, 2004 -- Credit Offers Roasting on an Open Fire

Dear friends,

'Tis the season for the final Timely Tips email for the year, and I wanted to share a fun little idea that fits nicely in with this time of year. If you are living in the northeastern part of the country right now, you know that it is really beginning to "feel a lot like Christmas". Last night here in East Lansing, it went below zero for the first time this season, and we are anticipating several inches of snow throughout the rest of the week.

Well, here is a simple holiday tip that will not only save you a bit of time, it will also help you keep your files in order, protect you from identity theft, and help keep you a bit warmer on these frosty cold nights. It is a remarkably simple tip, but it does work very nicely -- use your fireplace (indoor or outdoor) or woodburning stove to get rid of all of those credit card and other offers that you otherwise would be spending time shredding!

During most of the year, I typically build a shred pile of direct mail credit card offers and other direct mail pieces that need to be shredded to protect my identity. I shred the pile every few weeks, but I've found that the actual process of shredding takes more time than I would like, since most home shredders can only handle a few sheets of paper at a time. So, when I get close to fireplace season, I actually let the pile build up a bit, and then use my direct mail pile as the kindling to help start fires in my fireplace. It usually works quite well at getting the fire started, since most direct mail offers are enclosed in an envelope and have several pieces of paper inside -- it makes a perfect kindling.

I also use this system to help clean out my files each holiday season. Many people save their credit card slips from most purchases, ATM slips, old utility bills, old bank statements, etc. This stuff makes pretty good kindling too. Once I burn down my direct mail pile, I then start going to these personal files, and pulling any folders that have grown too big. I usually start with my credit card and bank statement files, and then work my way through the other files during the rest of the season. I pull any old receipts, ATM slips, bank statements, utility bills, etc. that I don't need any more because I have matching statements or newer statements. I take one folder at a time, pull anything I don't need anymore, and use that as kindling to start my next fire.

It is wonderfully peaceful having a warm and cozy fire in my family room this time of year -- it is even more peaceful knowing that at the same time I am getting my files in order and protecting my identity too. And I even find it a bit fun to think that that next "0% for 12 months" offer will warm up my chilly hands and toes, and help me make some tasty 'Smores' for my family and me. Too bad we can't burn telemarketing calls too!

Here's to a warm, peaceful, and direct mail free holiday season to all of you. Thank you for your support this year, and keep your eyes out for a new Timely Tips issue next year!

Timely Tips©: Volume 1, Issue 3; November 2004 -- A Three-Minute Clutter Buster

One of the favorite time-savings tips that I share in my seminars is one of the oldest time management habits that I follow. I learned this very helpful tip on managing information overload from time management guru David Allen in the early ‘90’s, and I’ve followed it religiously since I first learned it. It is just as valuable today as it was when I first learned it, and the thing that is great about this tip is that it is so simple – simple to understand, simple to implement, and simple to use.

This simple but powerful habit is called the “three minute rule”. Here’s how the three minute rule works. Every day, first thing in the morning, I collect all of the new pieces of information that have come into my office since the previous day (voice mails, emails, snail mail, papers and documents, faxes, articles to read, etc.), and I then consider each and every one and make a quick decision. My decision rule is this: can I process this piece of information in three minutes or less (meaning, can I read it, forward it, file it, delete it, toss it, archive it, or complete it in three minutes or less)? If yes, I do it RIGHT NOW. If no, I then put it into a prioritized pile of information, with the most important and urgent item at the very top of that pile.

By taking care of the myriad of little three minute tasks that come in each and every day, I do myself a great service by getting rid of a great deal of the clutter on my desk each day. I keep the little stuff moving, and I handle it quickly and efficiently first thing in the morning. And then, once all of these little things are off my desk, I am now free to work on and focus on the more important and time-intensive tasks and appointments for the rest of the day. And I am not distracted by all these little piles of little “to do’s” sitting all over my desk asking for my attention. Plus, my co-workers and clients are happy, because I respond to their little requests in an appropriately timely manner. Things don’t get stalled on my desk.

I’ve been following this rule for years, so now my process is quick and automatic. Usually, I get through my three-minute pile in an hour or less (sometimes significantly less). And thus I am allowed to focus on the higher-level value added activities with more time and energy, which improves my performance and productivity. It has made a big difference in my life. But when I first started following this rule, I did go through a little transition period.

The Conversion Process

I had several large piles of mostly little tasks (with a few big and important tasks mixed in) all over my desk, and my e-mail inbox was quite full. What I decided to do was block my calendar one day, and put all of these separate piles into one big pile, and print out all of the emails in my inbox. I then took each item one at a time, and spent an entire day knocking out as many little three minute tasks as I could. I put every item that would take longer than three minutes into a separate single pile. The people in my office thought I was a bit crazy that day, as I was running all over the place getting a million of these little 3-minute things done. Plus, I probably sent out about 50 emails that day, all to people that had been waiting too long for a quick little reply to something. I was surprised by how much of the stuff in my office I could just throw away or delete. And when all was said and done, I think I knocked out about 85% of the stuff that had gathered in my office.

The next day, I spent significantly less time doing three minute tasks – I had them under control now. And I took that pile of tasks and activities that would take more than three minutes, and organized it into my new “Priority Processing” box. I had the items in this box organized with the most important and urgent items on top, and the least important items on the bottom. Now, not only did I no longer have a million little distractions in my office, I also was clear on what was the most important thing for me to be working on.

I hope you can see the value of this habit, and how it could greatly reduce your clutter and your stress, and also greatly increase your productivity. Now that you are coming into a holiday week, could this be a good week to block your calendar for half a day, and knock out all of your three minute tasks? You’ll be surprised at how much it clears your mind, and you might even be able to see what color your desk and credenza are again!

Timely Tips: Volume 1, Issue 2; October, 2004: E-mail Overload (Part 2)

Last month, we discussed a few tips for making your “email experience” more efficient and effective. We recommended that you use discipline and only check your e-mail 3-4 times per day, and also that you follow a three-minute processing rule (if you can read it, file it, respond to it, forward it, archive it, or delete it in three minutes or less, take care of that email RIGHT NOW!) This month, we’re going to stay on the “effective email” topic, and share a few more tips to save time and energy on email, particularly when dealing with spam.

SPAM Strategies

Spam, or simply unsolicited (and mostly unwanted) email, has become both ubiquitous and also highly wasteful for individuals and organizations. Thousands of hours of productivity are lost each year due to spam, and many scarce dollars are going into systems that help to stop the flow of spam into companies. According to IDG News Service, the amount of spam has increased by more than 40% this year alone. Nearly 500,000 spam messages are sent every single day, accounting for nearly 17% of all messages sent. Some organizations are even reporting that 25% or more of all email received is spam. About 1% of those messages are also infected with a virus, thus making spam messages even more dangerous and costly.

While most larger organizations have formal efforts in place to help stop the flow of spam, there are a number of things that you can do individually to help stop this flow also. These strategies may also help you save time when reviewing and responding to email on a daily basis, and of course they will help your company’s bottom line.

1. Never open an email that you suspect is spam. The act of opening the email often sends a message back to the spammer that reports to them that the email is “live”. They may then sell your email address to other spammers, thus potentially overloading your account with spam. Plus, when you open the probable spam, you potentially open your account to a virus. The best thing to do is to simply delete the message, or follow the steps in strategy #4 below.
2. Never use your work email address as a response address for any internet accounts or online purchases. If you do this, you are increasing the likelihood that an unscrupulous person or organization will get your “live” email address, and add it to their spam list. The best way to sign up for internet offers and purchases is to follow strategy #3 below:
3. Have a dedicated personal email account SOLELY for responding to internet offers and making internet purchases. There are several free email services out there, including Yahoo!, Google, and Hotmail. I recommend that you start one of those accounts for these kinds of activities, and ONLY use this account for these kinds of activities. If you also want a personal email account for family and friends, start yet another account. (yes, like telephone numbers, we are now in the world of multiple email accounts – a work account, a personal account, and a “spam protection” account.)
4. Take the time to use any spam filters that you have access to. If your company allows you to report or forward spam, do just that. Even though it takes an extra moment, if your company has an active spam monitoring program and individuals do their part to report spam, over time, the amount of spam that will get through the filter will drop dramatically. Look at this as an investment in a cleaner email box in the near future. Follow the same strategy with your personal email accounts. For instance, Yahoo! email has a very easy-to-use spam filter – anytime that you receive a message that is spam, you can simply mark it by clicking the “spam” button, and the message will be removed from your email inbox and put in your trash folder. If you want to review these messages, you even have the option of setting up a “bulk” folder in Yahoo!, where these messages will automatically be forwarded, as well as any other messages that Yahoo! suspects are spam.
5. As a last resort, if you simply cannot get control of the spam in your work email, contact your system administrator, and ask for a new email address. This is never a fun step to take, because it then requires you to send a note to all of your contacts to let them know you have a new address. You may also have to monitor both email accounts for 2-4 weeks to make sure you aren’t missing important messages, but if spam has made your email unwieldy, it is a step that should be considered. If it is your personal account that gets out of control, a similar (albeit painful) solution should be considered. If, when you start over and receive this new account, you follow strategies 1-4 above, you will hopefully never have to get ANOTHER replacement work or personal email account.

One very nice benefit of having multiple email accounts is that it helps you with knowing what is an urgent or important email. If you know that you are being a good steward of your work email account, you can have more confidence that the messages in your inbox merit your attention. The same can be said for your personal email account. And your “spam-catcher” account may only merit occasional infrequent attention.

The whole reason for doing this is to help save time and make your actions more efficient and effective. You can continue to check your work email account 3-4 times a day, as we recommended in the previous issue, check your personal email account only once or twice a day (for instance, before work, during lunch, or after work), and only check your “spam-catcher” account infrequently (when you have recently made an online order or requested internet information).

Another important reason to consider following the multiple account strategy is because it could actually help you professionally. In a recent American Management Association study, 80% of companies responded that they now actively monitor the electronic activities (including email and weblogs) of their employees. Another study by the Society of Human Resource Management found that 75% of large companies actively review individual emails. If you are getting lots of inappropriate email in your work account (either personal or spam), it could actually put your livelihood in jeopardy. By having these separate accounts, you resist the temptation of effectively “stealing time” from your employer for personal purposes. You can also notify friends and relatives that you will only read their emails if they send it to your personal account, thus keeping you focused on the task at hand – building your employer’s business.

And, of course, won’t it be nice to stop reading about the great benefits of cheap Viagra, or those wonderful offers for $63 million dollars from a bank in Nigeria? ;-)