Waxaan u maleynayaa inay badbaado tahay in la yiraahdo ku dhawaad ​​qof kasta oo ay ahayd inuu u isticmaalo iimaylka shaqada wuxuu isticmaalay Microsoft Outlook . Waxaan ahaa mid ka mid ah dad badan oo wax ku bartay wax ku filan oo ku saabsan si ay u helaan, oo aan waligood u malaynayn wax ka badan barnaamijka iimaylka oo sidoo kale daabacan kara jadwalka taariikhda. Maamulahaygu wax ka yar ayuu ka ogaa Microsoft Outlook , marka waxaan had iyo jeer u daabacaa jadwalka waaxda iyada. Haddaba, bal qiyaas sida aan ula yaabay markaan arkay magaca buuggan! Isticmaalka Microsoft Outlook ee maaraynta wakhtiga iyo abaabulka? Tani, waa inaan arko. Ma loo isticmaali karaa habkaas xitaa dadka leh xirfadaha aasaasiga ah? Aad baan ugu xiisay inaan ogaado.

FIIRO GAAR AH:^(NOTE:) Waxaan kaliya u tixraaci doonaa buugga sida Maareynta Waqtiga Wax ku oolka leh ee^{(Effective Time Management)} halkan ka socda - si aan waqtigayga iyo kaaga wax yar uga qaato.

Looma baahna khibrad

Hordhacu waxa uu ahaa mid niyad-jab leh. Haa, buugan waxaa loogu talagalay dadka leh xirfadaha aasaasiga ah ee Microsoft Outlook . Qorayaashu waxay weydiiyaan akhristuhu inuu fahmo aasaaska, maadaama tani aysan ahayn "sida loo isticmaalo Microsoft Outlook oo ka bilaabmaya hal labajibbaaran"^{("how to use Microsoft Outlook starting from square one")} nooca buug. Qaybta kaliya ee Microsoft Outlook ee lagu sharxi doono "laga bilaabo gujinta ugu horeysa"^{("from the very first click")} waa Hawlaha^(Tasks) , sababtoo ah taasi waa qaybta dadka intooda badan aysan isticmaalin ama aysan isticmaalin si ballaaran. Qorayaashu waxay sheegeen in buuggu sidoo kale loogu talagalay Microsoft Outlook ee khibradda leh^{(Microsoft Outlook)}isticmaale, sababtoo ah waxay soo bandhigaysaa nidaam habayn iyo maarayn waqti ka wanaagsan oo waxtar badan, waxaana laga yaabaa inuu tuso xitaa isticmaalaha ugu khibradda badan sidii uu xitaa wax badan uga heli lahaa software-ka. Hordhac noocan oo kale ah, waxaan aad u jeclaa inaan wax badan akhriyo.

Cutub kastaa wuxuu ku bilaabmaa dulmar ku saabsan sida ay mashaakilku u bilaabmaan, waxaana ku xiga qayb la yidhaa "Let's get started and change this!"waxayna ku dhammaatay qaybta "Waad tijaabisay"^{("You try it")} oo koobaysa wixii cutubku baray, akhristahana siinaya tamashle la hagayo waxa loo baahan yahay in la qabto. Mid ka mid ah waxyaabaha ugu fiican ee ku saabsan buuggu waa in aanu ku xidhnayn hal nooc oo gaar ah. Waxaa jira tilmaamo halkan loogu talagalay Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007 iyo 2010, markaa qofna ma xidho.

Aan ku qarqin email

Waxaan ka helay sawirka "daadka emailka" ee buuggu doonayo inuu naga ilaaliyo inaan dhammaanteen ku qarsoomin. Dad badan ayaa ah habka kaliya ee lagu tilmaami karo. Waxaan arkay dadka oo ka hadlaya boqollaal ama kumanaan emails ah oo weli ku dhex fadhiya sanduuqa-inbox-kooda oo in ka badanna ku shubaya mar kasta. Ma jirto hab qofna u akhriyi karo dhammaan iimaylkaas-waxa ay u baahan yihiin waa hab adag, hab wax ku ool ah oo lagula tacaalo waxa horeba u jiray, loogana ilaalin lahaa inay mar kale soo ururto. Iyo, dabcan, haddii qofku ku bilaabo "daadka" emaylka, in xaaladda la xakameeyo ma dhici doonto si toos ah. Waa inuu jiraa qorshe tallaabo tallaabo ah. Taasi waa sida saxda ah ee Maareynta Waqtiga Waxtarka leh^{(Effective Time Management)} ay soo bandhigto. Qorayaashu waxay aqoonsadaan sababaha ugu waaweyn ee dhibaatada (sida in la mashquuliyo, guji "Jawaab Dhammaan,"^{("Reply All,")}oo aan lahayn nidaam lagula macaamilo waraaqaha soo galaya) ka dibna u qaad akhristaha tillaabooyinka lagama maarmaanka u ah si loo xakameeyo waxa hore u jiray oo loo dejiyo nidaam si aanay mar kale u dhicin. Runtii waxaan filayaa in qof kasta oo wakhti ku qaadata inuu akhriyo qaybtan oo uu raaco talada qorayaasha (oo, tan ugu muhiimsan, ku dheggan nidaamkooda) uu ogaan doono inay shaqaynayso. Waxay si daacad ah u sheegaan inta uu le'eg yahay akhristuhu inuu beddelo dabeecaddiisa ama keeda si uu wax u hagaajiyo, iyo sababta ay lama huraanka u tahay in isbeddelladaas la sameeyo. Tallaabo kasta oo lagama maarmaan ah (sida daminta ogeysiisyada, meel iska dhigida qaybo waqti ah si aad wax uga qabato iimaylka oo aad uga tagto gabi ahaanba kaligiis waqtiyada kale oo dhan, iyo abuurista xasuusin, hawlo,^{(Microsoft Outlook)}. Waxay ka hadlaan abuurista galalkaaga iyo calaamadaynta fariimaha muhiimka ah si aadan u illoobin iyaga, taas oo ah wax aan jeclaan lahaa inaan ogaan lahaa markii aan isticmaalayey Microsoft Outlook shaqada. Waxaa jira tilmaamo faahfaahsan oo loogu talagalay dejinta xeerarka si farriimaha loogu kala sooco galka habboon si toos ah. Taas, in ka badan wax kasta oo kale, waxay kaa caawin kartaa in la rabbeeyo santuuqa-gelisyada oo buuqa iyo in dadku diiradda saaraan waxa dhabta ah ee muhiimka ah.

In aad si toos ah mudnaantaada u ilaaliso

Qaybta isticmaalka Hawlaha^(Tasks) si loo dejiyo mudnaanta sidoo kale waxay gaartaa barta saxda ah, waxayna isticmaashaa tusaale ahaan shaqaale aan habaysanayn oo khayaali ah, si ay u tusto sida mashquulinta ay u yeelan karto cawaaqib xumo. Dabadeed akhristuhu waxa loo maraa dhawr habab oo lagu go'aaminayo hawluhu run ahaantii muhiimka yihiin, iyo kuwa ay tahay in laga hormariyo kuwa kale. Tani waa wax dadka badankiis ay dhib ku qabaan-in la ogaado waxa dhabta ah ee muhiimka ah iyo waxa la yara dhigi karo inta hawlaha mudnaanta sare leh la daryeelayo. Qorayaashu waxay carrabka ku adkeeyeen muhiimadda ay leedahay in wax la qoro. Tani waa fikrad muhiim ah oo ka mid ah nidaamyada maaraynta wakhtiga ee caanka ah, waana sax. Maalmahan, waxaan haysanaa wax badan oo aan maskaxda ku hayno, oo xitaa Einstein ma maareyn karo dhammaan. Qoraal^(Writing)wax hoos u dhaceen waa furaha. Qorayaashu waxay dhaafsiisan yihiin ficilka fudud ee qoraalka waxayna sharaxaan sida iyo sababta ay dadku u yeelan lahaayeen qorshooyin qoran. Waxay qireen in bilaabista qorshooyinka qoran aysan ahayn hawl fudud marka qofku aanu horay u qaban, waxayna sharxayaan sababta ay lama huraanka u tahay maaraynta wakhtiga wanaagsan. Maareynta Waqtiga wax ku oolka ah^{(Effective Time Management)} waxay qeexaysaa nidaam toos ah oo loogu talagalay dejinta ballamaha iyo hawlaha (oo si cad u sharraxaya farqiga u dhexeeya labada) iyo dejinta aragtida, filtarrada, iyo qaybaha si loo hubiyo inaad si sax ah u heli karto macluumaadka aad u baahan tahay si degdeg ah oo hufan.

Qaybaha, hawlaha, iyo waqtiga

Cutubyada ugu horreeya ee buuggu waxay inta badan ka hadlaan waxa Microsoft Outlook ay ka qaban karto goobta shaqada. Laga bilaabo cutubka "Sida loo helo wakhti dheeraad ah waxa lagama maarmaanka u ah qorsheeye usbuuc oo waxtar leh,"^{("How to gain more time for what's essential with an effective week planner,")} qorayaashu waxay u dhaqaaqeen si ay u qeexaan sida Microsoft Outlook loogu isticmaali karo si loo qorsheeyo wakhti aan shaqo ahayn sidoo kale. Waxay maraan tillaabooyinka lagama maarmaanka ah si ay u dejiyaan qaybaha, iyo in ay midabeeyaan haddii aad rabto, si ay uga caawiyaan dejinta mudnaanta iyo ilaalinta hawlaha habaysan. Waxay carrabka ku adkeeyaan muhiimadda ay leedahay qorsheynta toddobaadlaha ah, iyo ku darista wakhtiga arrimaha gaarka ah sida jimicsiga iyo waxbarashada oo qayb ka ah qorshaha guud. Waxa laga yaabaa inay u ekaato wax la yaab leh marka hore in la geliyo shakhsi ahaan, waxqabadyo aan shaqo ahayn Microsoft Outlookqorshaha toddobaadlaha ah ee shaqada, laakiin qorayaashu waxay si cad u sharxayaan sababta tani dhab ahaantii tahay fikrad aad u wanaagsan, oo adkeynaysa muhiimada isku dheelitirka ee nolosha xirfadeed iyo shakhsi ahaaneed. Waxay ogaadaan xaqiiqda ah in dhammaan goobaha shaqada aysan ogolayn qorsheynta gaarka ah oo qof kastaa uusan heli karin kombiyuutarka shaqada ee ka baxsan xafiiska, waxayna bixiyaan xeelado wax looga qabanayo arrintan. Waxaa cad in ay leeyihiin faham adag oo aan ahayn mawduucooda oo keliya laakiin xaqiiqooyinka goobta shaqada.

Qorshaynta nolosha dhabta ah

Sheekada shaqaalaha khayaaliga ah ee habaysani waxay ku sii socotaa cutubka qorsheynta nolosha dhabta ah. Dadka intiisa badan si dhab ah uma oga inta ay qaadanayso hawl kasta oo la dhiibo sababtoo ah waa hawl aad dhif u ah oo keligeed taagan. Safarka xafiiska waxa kale oo ka mid ah wakhtiga aad gaadhiga ku aadi karto, baabuurka la dhigto, iyo u lugaynta goobta shaqada, dad badanina waxay ku fikiraan oo kaliya wakhtiga dhabta ah ee wadista. Dadku way mashquulaan, ama waxay dhacaan waxyaabo ka dhigaya maalinta shaqada ee caadiga ah jahawareer dhammaystiran. Dadku waxay sameeyaan waxay rabaan inay sameeyaan oo si uun bay u maareeyaan inaanay samayn waxyaalaha aanay doonayn inay sameeyaan (taasoo wax walba u dhimaysa qof kasta iyadoo ku xidhan shaqadaas oo la dhammeeyo). Qaybtan, qorayaashu waxay si fiican u eegaan dabeecadda aadanaha waxayna muujinayaan sida qorshe maalinle ah oo waxtar leh uu wax walba uga dhigi karo si habsami leh. In si sax ah loo ilaaliyo wakhtiga lagama maarmaanka u ah hawl kasta waa furaha halkan. Ma jiraan qiyaaso dheeraad ah ama tirooyinka kubbadda-xaalka dhabta ah ee waqtiga hawl kasta bilow ilaa dhammaad. Asal ahaan, qorayaashu waxay rabaan akhristuhu inuu sameeyo kayd waqti, markaa halkii uu ka qiyaasi lahaa ama uu baallahayn lahaa, akhristuhu wuxuu eegi karaa wakhtiga dhabta ah ee hawl kasta oo la bixiyo oo u qorsheeyo si waafaqsan. Waxay kaloo weydiiyaan akhristaha inuu qiimeeyo tooda"Saacadaha Waxsoosaarka,"^{("Productivity Hours,")} waqtiyada maalinta ee ay dadku u shaqeeyaan sida ugu wanaagsan, iyo "Saacadaha qaska,"^{("Disruption Hours,")} wakhtiyada maalinlaha ah ee ay u badan tahay in la joojiyo. Kadibna waxay dejiyeen qorshe ay ku jadwaleeyaan baloogyada wakhtiga bilaa hakadka ah inta lagu jiro saacadaha wax soo saarka ee ugu sarreeya, waxayna qireen in tani aysan dhici doonin habeen kaliya maadaama qeexitaan dadka kale ay tahay in lagu tababaro inaysan ku carqaladayn markaad shaqaynayso. Waxayna carrabka ku adkeeyaan muhiimadda ay leedahay in la dhiso "wakhtiga kaydinta," si haddii arrimuhu u qaataan waqti ka dheer intii la filayay, inta ka hartay maalinta aysan gebi ahaanba khalkhal gelin.

Kulan, kulan, yaa helay shirka?

Kulamadu waxay u muuqdaan inay yihiin xaqiiqo nololeed oo ka mid ah ganacsiga, waxayna noqon karaan waqti lumis aad u weyn iyo dilaayaal wax soo saar leh. Maareynta Waqtiga wax ku oolka ah^{(Effective Time Management)} ayaa aqoonsan tan oo si faahfaahsan u sharraxaysa sida loo dejiyo shirarka iyada oo loo marayo Microsoft Outlook iyo iskudubarid wakhtiyada kulanka dadka kale. Taladeeda ugu qiimaha badan, si kastaba ha ahaatee, waxaa lagu soo koobi karaa odhaahda "Kulamada ugu wanaagsan waa kuwa aan dhicin."^{("The best meetings are the ones that don't take place.")}Kulamadu waxay dadka ka qaadaan shaqooyinkooda, waxay carqaladeeyaan socodka shaqada, aad ugu tiirsan tahay qof kasta oo awood u leh inuu soo bandhigo oo uu awood u yeesho inuu si macno leh uga qaybqaato, dhab ahaantiina wuxuu ku kacayaa lacag shirkad ah sababtoo ah dadku waxay ku jiraan shirarka halkii ay qaban lahaayeen shaqadooda. Marka, ka dib markii la sharraxay sida loo dejiyo codsiyada shirarka, qorayaashu waxay soo jeedinayaan in shirarka la qorsheeyey oo keliya dhif ah, iyo hababka kale ee isgaarsiinta (sida Windows Live Meeting ama wicitaannada shirarka) loo isticmaalo beddelka intii suurtogal ah. Haddii shirarku ay lagama maarmaan yihiin, waxaa jira qorshe lagu doonayo in lagu sameeyo si habsami leh oo ay u soo saaraan natiijooyin wanaagsan. Tani waxay daboolaysaa dhammaan saldhigyada waana inay kordhisaa wax soo saarka qof kasta oo ay lumiso wakhtiga ugu yar. Waxay noqon doontaa kheyraad aad u fiican goob kasta oo shaqo.

Warqad yar, wax soo saar badan

Dad badan ayaa weli door bida inay xogtooda ku xafidaan warqad (waa inaan qiraa inaan ka mid ahay dadkaas). Laakin warqaddu way fududahay in la lumiyo raadkeeda oo la marin habaabiyo, muddo ka bacdina, tirada badan ee warqaddu waxay noqotaa mid aan la awoodin oo waxaa laga yaabaa in sidoo kale loo diro shredder. Maareynta Wakhtiga Waxtarka leh^{(Effective Time Management)} ayaa dejisa hab lagu qaato qoraallo wax ku ool ah iyo la socodka faylalka elektarooniga ah si hufan. Qorayaashu waxay soo jeedinayaan in akhristuhu isticmaalo Microsoft OneNote , laakiin ogow in aan lagu darin noocyo badan oo Microsoft Office ah (gaar ahaan daabacaadyadii hore) oo ay tahay in si gaar ah loo iibsado, taas oo dad badani aysan awoodin. Waxaan jeclaan lahaa in qorayaashu ay soo jeediyaan talooyin ku saabsan beddelka Microsoft OneNote, maadaama ay si cad u tahay barnaamij aad waxtar u leh oo si wax ku ool ah ula mid noqon kara Microsoft Outlook . Maareynta Wakhtiga Waxtarka leh^{(Effective Time Management)} waxay ku socotaa akhristaha iyadoo la isticmaalayo Microsoft OneNote si uu u qaato qoraallo, u dejiyo qorshooyin, u dejiyo jadwalyo, oo u dejiyo nidaam habaysan oo habaysan oo wax walba lagula socdo. Waxay si cad u muujinaysaa faa'iidooyinka isticmaalka qoraalada iyo galalka elektarooniga ah halkii warqad. Waa inaan qiraa inaan bilaabay inaan si ka duwan uga fikiro dhammaan faylalkayga oo ay ka buuxaan qoraalo iyo daabacado ka dib markaan akhriyay cutubkan, waxaanan bilaabayaa inaan eego helitaanka Microsoft OneNote ama barnaamij kale oo la mid ah si uu iiga caawiyo inaan si hufan ula socdo waxyaabaha.

Isku soo wada duuboo

Maareynta Waqtiga wax ku oolka^{(Effective Time Management)} leh waxay ku xidhmaysaa cutub gaaban oo loo yaqaan "Sidee si dhab ah looga faa'iidaysan karaa buuggan"^{("How to truly benefit from this book")} kaas oo dhigaya dhammaan cutubyadii hore ee aragtida oo sharraxaya siyaabaha ugu fiican ee aad ku bilaabi karto isticmaalka Microsoft Outlook iyo Microsoft OneNote si aad u habayso noloshaada xirfadeed iyo shakhsi ahaaneed. Qorayaashu waxa ay caddeeyeen in aanay filayn in ururku habeen kaliya dhici doono, isla markaana aanay filaynin in uu qabsoomo haddii aanu akhristuhu go’aansanayn in uu shaqeeyo. Laakiin sidoo kale waxay sharxayaan sababta ay uga qiimo badan tahay wakhtiga iyo dadaalka si ay u raacaan qorshahooda. Xitaa haddii mid ka mid ah uusan isticmaalin Microsoft OutlookQorshahani wuu shaqayn karaa. Waxaa jira barnaamijyo kale oo bixiya sifooyin isku mid ah, laga yaabee inaysan ku jirin xirmo ku habboon, laakiin la isticmaali karo si kastaba ha ahaatee. Waxaan fahamsanahay in diiradda buuggu uu ku wajahan yahay Microsoft Outlook iyo Microsoft OneNote , laakiin waxaan u maleynayaa inay faa'iido u yeelan lahayd qorayaashu inay soo jeediyaan dhowr barnaamijyo kale oo loo isticmaali karo in lagu raaco nidaam isku mid ah xitaa iyada oo aan gacanta lagu hayn nuqul buuxa oo Microsoft Office ah. . Taasi waa talo yar, in kastoo, waxaanan hubaa in qof kasta oo xiisaynaya la socodka nidaamkan uu ka dhigi karo mid ku shaqeeya software kasta oo ay gacanta ku hayaan.

Xukun

Maareynta Waqtiga wax ku oolka ah^{(Effective Time Management)} runtii waa u qof kasta. Dhammaanteen waxaynu ka faa'iidaysan karnaa helitaanka isu-dheellitirka nolosheenna xirfad-yaqaannada ah iyo kuwa gaarka ah, innaga oo waqtigeenna si hufan uga faa'iidaysanno, iyo inaan sida ugu habboon uga faa'iidaysanno agabka aannu gacanta ku hayno. Xataa dadka huba inay wax walba gacanta ku hayaan waxay halkan ka heli karaan talooyin waxtar leh. Qorayaashu waxay si cad u fahmeen software-ka iyo dabeecadda bini'aadamka oo waxay u qaadaan tallaabo tallaabo oo hab oo ay u sharaxaan sababta waxa ay qeexayaan ay u shaqayn doonaan. Waan ku faraxsanahay inaan fursad u helay inaan dib u eego buuggan, sababtoo ah hadda waxaan bilaabi karaa dhaqangelinta qorshihiisa si aan waqtigeyga ugu maareeyo si wax ku ool ah.

Book Review - Effective Time Management

I think it's safe to ѕay that nearly еveryone who's had to use email on the job has used Microsoft Outlook. I was one of many people who learned just enough about it to get by, and never thought of it as anything more than an email program that could also print calendars. My boss knew less about Microsoft Outlook than I did, so I always printed out the departmental calendars for her. So, imagine my surprise when I saw the title of this book! Using Microsoft Outlook for time management and organization? This, I had to see. Could it be used that way even by people with only basic skills? I was very eager to find out.

NOTE: I'm just going to refer to the book as Effective Time Management from here on out—thus taking up less of my time and yours.

No expertise required

The introduction was very reassuring. Yes, this book is for people with only basic Microsoft Outlook skills. The authors do ask that the reader understand the basics, since this is not a "how to use Microsoft Outlook starting from square one" type of book. The only part of Microsoft Outlook that will be explained "from the very first click" is Tasks, because that's the part that most people either haven't used or haven't used extensively. The authors say that the book is also for the experienced Microsoft Outlook user, because it presents a system of organization and time management that's better and more efficient, and may show even the most experienced user how to get even more out of the software. With this kind of introduction, I was eager to read more.

Each chapter starts with an overview of how problems start, followed by a section called "Let's get started and change this!" and ends with a "You try it" section that summarizes what the chapter has taught and gives the reader a guided tour of what needs to be done. One of the best things about the book is that it's not tied to one specific version. There are instructions in here for Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007 and 2010, so no one gets shut out.

Not drowning in email

I like the image of the "email flood" that the book wants to keep us all from drowning in. For many people it's the only way to describe it. I've seen people talk about hundreds or thousands of emails still sitting in their Inbox and more pouring in all the time. There's no way anyone can read all that email—what they need is a solid, effective way to deal with what's already there, and keep it from piling up again. And, of course, if one starts with a "flood" of email, getting the situation under control isn't going to happen in a flash. There has to be a step by step plan. That's exactly what Effective Time Management lays out. The authors identify the main causes of the problem (like getting distracted, clicking "Reply All," and not having a system for dealing with incoming mail) and then take the reader through the steps necessary to get a handle on what's already there and set up a system so it doesn't happen again. I really think anyone who takes time to read through this section and follow the authors' advice (and, most important, stick with their system) will find that it works. They are honest about how much the reader is going to have to change his or her own behavior in order to get things in order, and why it's essential to make those changes. Each necessary step (like turning off notifications, setting aside blocks of time to deal with email and leaving it completely alone at all other times, and creating reminders, tasks, and appointments directly from incoming email) is described in detail for each version of Microsoft Outlook. They talk about creating your own set of folders and flagging important messages so you don't overlook them, which is something I wish I'd known about when I was using Microsoft Outlook at work. There are detailed instructions for setting up rules so that messages get sorted into appropriate folders automatically. That, more than anything else, can help tame the inbox clutter and keep people focused on what's really important.

Keeping your priorities straight

The section on using Tasks to set priorities also gets right to the point, and uses the example of a fictitious, perennially disorganized worker to show how getting distracted can have serious consequences. Then the reader is taken through several methods for determining what tasks are really important, and which should take precedence over others. This is something that most people have trouble with—figuring out what's really important and what can be put off a bit while the top priority tasks get taken care of. The authors stress the importance of writing things down. This is a key concept in several well known time-management systems, and quite rightly so. Nowadays, we just have too much to keep in mind, and not even Einstein could manage it all. Writing things down is the key. The authors go beyond the simple act of writing and explain how and why people should have written plans. They acknowledge that getting started on written plans is not a simple task when one hasn't done it before, and they explain why it's essential for good time management. Effective Time Management describes a straightforward system for setting up appointments and tasks (and clearly explains the difference between the two) and for setting up views, filters, and categories to make sure that you can find exactly the information you need quickly and efficiently.

Categories, tasks, and time

The first chapters in the book deal mainly with what Microsoft Outlook can do in a workplace. Starting with the chapter "How to gain more time for what's essential with an effective week planner," the authors move on to describe how Microsoft Outlook can be used to plan non-work time as well. They go through the necessary steps to set up categories, and to color-code them if you wish, to help with setting priorities and keeping tasks organized. They stress the importance of weekly planning, and of including time for personal matters such as exercise and education as part of the overall plan. It may seem odd at first to put personal, non-work activities on a Microsoft Outlook weekly plan at work, but the authors clearly explain why this is actually a very good idea, stressing the importance of balance in professional and personal lives. They do take note of the fact that not all workplaces allow private planning and not everyone has access to their work computer from outside the office, and they provide strategies for dealing with this. It is clear that they have a solid understanding not only of their subject but of the realities of the workplace.

Planning in real life

The story of the fictional disorganized worker continues in the chapter on real-life planning. Most people don't really know exactly how long any given task will take because it's a very rare task that stands alone. The trip to the office also includes time for getting to the car, parking the car, and walking to the workplace, and many people only think of the actual driving time. People get distracted, or things happen that put the usual work day into complete disarray. People do what they want to do and somehow manage not to do the things they don't want to do (which fouls everything up for anyone depending on that job getting done). In this section, the authors really take a good look at human nature and show how an effective day plan can make everything run so much more smoothly. Keeping accurate track of the time necessary for each task is the key here. No more estimates or ballpark figures—the actual amount of time for each task from start to finish. Essentially, the authors want the reader to create a time database, so instead of just guessing or winging it, the reader can look up the actual amount of time for any given task and plan accordingly. They also ask the reader to evaluate their own "Productivity Hours," those times of day when people function at their best, and their own "Disruption Hours," those times of day when they're most likely to be interrupted. Then they set out a plan for scheduling blocks of interruption-free time during peak productivity hours, and they acknowledge that this won't happen overnight since by definition other people have to be trained not to interrupt you while you're working. And they stress the importance of building in "buffer time," so that if things take longer than expected, the rest of the day doesn't get totally disrupted.

Meeting, meeting, who's got the meeting?

Meetings seem to be a fact of life in business, and they can be enormous time wasters and productivity killers. Effective Time Management acknowledges this and explains in detail how to set up meetings through Microsoft Outlook and coordinate meeting times with others. Its most valuable advice, though, can be summed up in the statement "The best meetings are the ones that don't take place." Meetings take people away from their jobs, interrupt the workflow, rely too much on everyone being able to show up and able to participate in a meaningful way, and actually cost a company money because people are in meetings instead of doing their jobs. So, after explaining how to set up meeting requests, the authors suggest that meetings be scheduled only rarely, and other means of communicating (such as Windows Live Meeting or conference calls) be used instead as much as possible. If meetings are necessary, there's a plan for making them run more smoothly and produce better results. This covers all the bases and should increase everyone's productivity and waste the minimum amount of time. It would be an excellent resource for any workplace.

Less paper, more productivity

Many people still prefer to keep their information on paper (I must admit to being one of those people). But paper's easy to lose track of and misfile, and after a while, the sheer mass of paper becomes so unwieldy that it might just as well be sent to the shredder. Effective Time Management sets out a method for taking effective notes and keeping track of electronic files efficiently. The authors suggest that the reader use Microsoft OneNote, but acknowledge that it isn't included in many versions of Microsoft Office (especially the older editions) and has to be purchased separately, which many people can't afford. I wish the authors had offered some suggestions for alternatives to Microsoft OneNote, since it's clearly a very useful program and can integrate effectively with Microsoft Outlook. Effective Time Management walks the reader through using Microsoft OneNote to take notes, make plans, set up calendars, and set up a structured and organized system for keeping track of everything. It clearly shows the advantages of using electronic notes and files instead of paper. I must admit I began to think differently about all my folders full of notes and printouts after I read this chapter, and I'm going to start looking into getting Microsoft OneNote or some other similar program to help me keep track of things more efficiently.

Summing it all up

Effective Time Management closes with a short chapter called "How to truly benefit from this book" that puts all the previous chapters in perspective and explains the best ways to get started using Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft OneNote to get organized in your professional and personal lives. The authors make it clear they don't expect the organization to happen overnight and they don't expect it to happen without the reader's determination to make it work. But they also explain why it's more than worth the time and effort to follow their plan. Even if one doesn't use Microsoft Outlook, this plan can work. There are other programs that offer much the same features, perhaps not in such a convenient package, but usable nonetheless. I understand that the book's focus is on Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft OneNote, but I think it would have been useful for the authors to suggest a few other programs that could be used to follow the same system even without a full copy of Microsoft Office on hand. That's just a minor suggestion, though, and I'm sure that anyone who's interested in following this system can make it work with whatever software they have on hand.

Verdict

Effective Time Management really is for everyone. We can all benefit from finding balance in our professional and personal lives, from using our time more efficiently, and from making the very best use of the tools we have at hand. Even people who are certain they've got everything under control can find useful suggestions here. The authors clearly understand both the software and human nature and take a step by step approach and explain why what they're describing will work. I'm glad I got a chance to review this book, because now I can start putting its plan into effect to get my own time managed more effectively.

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