Time Management: Don't let email control you

A survey by AOL, quoted in Sam Geist's Quick Bites electronic newsletter (www.samgeist.com ), revealed that Americans are checking their emails around the clock, in the bathroom, while driving and even in church. For example,

• 15% of Americans describe themselves as "addicted to email."
• 40% say it is "very" or "somewhat" important to them to consider email accessibility when planning a vacation.
  Respondents who use portable devices has doubled since 2004, and as a result the average user checks about five times a day.
• 43% keep their email device nearby when they're sleeping so they can hear incoming mail
• 59% check email in bed
• 53% check email in the bathroom
• 37% check email while they're driving
• 63% admit to checking their personal email at work, on average of three times a day.

We have to be self-disciplined enough to ignore email and turn off our cell phones during parts of the day in order to be effective at work and enjoy quality time at home.

© 2008, Harold Taylor Time Consultants Ltd.

Expanding your business

Websites bring business
Not sure about professional organizers, but 30% of professional speakers in one survey revealed that they didn't have a website. Websites make you look professional, provide a great way to communicate quickly to your prospective clients, and may land you business you hadn't expected. And they're not that expensive to maintain.

Link to other websites
Many organizations have affiliate programs where you receive a percentage of any sale made when someone uses a link on your web to visit the other organization's website. If they are selling non-competing products that would help your clients and prospects, it's a win-win situation. For example, we offer 20% of any resulting sale. If you link to several websites, the revenue will add up.

 

Time on your side

Curb interruptions
Interruptions extend the time it takes to get things done. So do what you can to reduce the number. Engage the voice mail, ignore email, close the office door, and rearrange your desk so you are not in the line of fire.

Scheduling work activities
It's a good idea to break large tasks into chunks so you can whittle away at overwhelming tasks. But don't make those chunks of time less than a half hour or you will whittle your way to inefficiency.