F4 will continue to to repeat the function until I select another function.

We are being inundated with so much information through TV, Facebook, the internet, newspapers, and e-mail that it is no wonder things may fall through the cracks or simply forgotten. Our brain can only hold so much information – that is why telephone numbers are only 10 digits. Your short-term memory should be a focusing tool not a storage shed for all of the things you have on your plate. Oh, what to do?

The first thing is to get it out of your head. Put it in hand and not in head. This means everything – everything small or large. That usually starts with a list. But, does a list ever really get all checked off and then tossed? Not in my world. I just keep adding or losing the list and starting a new one. I am currently working on the David Allen Getting Things Done system and using a couple of different tools to bolster that system. I use OneNote and Asana to try and wangle all the wild cats that live in my head.

What are some of the task and workflow management systems you have in place?

Stay tuned for the results!

I have just finished reading one of the best ‘business how-to’ books. It has the different name of Getting Naked and is written by Peter Lencioni.

I had the privilege of seeing Mr. Lencioni speak at the Leadership Summit, hosted by Willow Creek, in August 2011. He stepped in for the CEO of Starbucks. I must say, he and Seth Godin were the best of a series of truly inspiring speakers.

Mr. Lencioni writes of business fears – including the fear of losing the business, fear of being embarrassed, fear of asking dumb questions and more. I like the business model he discusses – like consult instead of sell, take a bullet for the client, ask dumb questions, etc. For example, consulting instead of selling. How often do you, as a business owner, try to sell your services to a potential client? This is what I will do for you if or when you hire me? Instead, it should be just serving the potential clients as though they were already a client.

Here is Tracey’s article – I hope it helps you stay organized!

5 Simple Tips to Effectively Utilize Outlook to Increase Productivity and Save Time

Members of my Easy Office Organization program and my private clients know that I’m a die-hard Outlook fan. I’ve tried many email and contact management systems over the years, but keep coming back to this one tool. Why?

Because it does everything that I could possibly need in order to effectively run my business. It’s my:

• Email manager
• Contact manager
• Calendar planner
• Task scheduler
• Notes space

In short, it’s my command central for running my business.

If you’re not fully utilizing Outlook, in other words if you’re only using it for email management and nothing else, then today I’d like to share with you five ways in which you can utilize Outlook to effectively run your business too:

1. Create email templates

If you find yourself sending the same email more than once then it’s time to take that email and create an Outlook template, which is simply your email saved in the special Outlook templates folder. This saves you time as next time you need to send the same email you simply retrieve it from the templates folder; ‘tweak’ as needed, and hit ‘send’. Some examples of what you can create templates for are:

Thank you for requesting more information
Confirmation of an appointment
Requesting a client testimonial

2. Set up recurring tasks

This is a great way to build into your schedule those tasks that you do on a regular basis, such as:

• writing your ezine article
• updating your bookkeeping system
• submitting your articles
• or any other regular task

When you create a new Task, simply set it up to recur automatically and next time that particular task is due it will pop up in your task list – reminding you. What a great way to automate your To Do list!

3. Create reminders for follow-up appointments

By creating reminders for follow-up appointments you’ll never miss important deadlines again. There are two ways I utilize Outlook to create reminders for me to follow up with clients & contacts. The first is by right-clicking on the item and choosing Followup from the menu; and the second is to create a task and specify the date the task needs to be completed by. Either way works well.

4. Create Post-It Notes

The Notes feature in Outlook is the same as using the sticky post-it notes, so rather than have them stuck all over my desk I simply utilize Outlook’s Notes feature in the same way, and have them stored in one place in my Notes folder.

Use notes to jot down questions, ideas, reminders, and anything you would write on a sticky note or note paper. You can leave notes open on the screen while you work. This is especially useful when you’re using notes for storing bits of information you may need later, such as directions or text you want to reuse in other items or documents.

5. Create Rules/Folders for filtering emails

This is probably the single most used feature in Outlook for me – having the ability to create rules to handle my incoming emails. By creating rules in Outlook you can filter and sort your email automatically as it comes into your Inbox. For example you can set up your rules to tell Outlook that if you receive an email from Client A automatically put this email in Client A’s Inbox folder – what a huge timesaver!

So now you know how you can use Outlook to effectively manage your business, increase your productivity, and save you time, what’s stopping you? Let me know over at the blog.

Want to read more articles like this one?

Visit Tracey’s article library

© 2011 Tracey Lawton

Author’s Information:

Online Business Development Strategist, Tracey Lawton, teaches online solo service professionals how to create the essential online marketing and office organization systems needed so that they can create a more streamlined, systemized, and automated online business. Check out http://www.officeorganizationsuccess.com for fr.ee how-to articles, resources, tips, and tools, and sign up for your fr.ee “Office Organization Success Toolkit”.

Well, our friends at VAClassroom with re-invented the concept with their new Summer Skill Camp designed to equip you with high-demand skills that businesses are seeking today. Sorry, no campfires, just top-notch, virtual skill-based webinars certain to give your business a much needed boost heading into the last half of 2011.

This year’s Summer Skill Camp features eight high-calibre 90-minute webinars happening at specific times throughout the month of July.

Here is a sneak peek at some of the timely topics that will be covered this year:

- Success Strategies for Creating a Social Media Monitoring System
- Creating and Promoting a Compelling Facebook Contest.
- Tips and Tactics for Building an Effective Social Media Measurement System
- Discover the Fine Art of Setting Rates and Building Packages for Your Services
- Creating an Effective Mobile Marketing Campaign for Local Businesses
- Set up an Ecommerce Platform with 1ShoppingCart
- Master New Tactics for Increasing Your Search Engine Listings
- Maximize Productivity and Enhance Communications using Google Tools.

Each webinar will include practical checklists, templates and resources to ensure that you can effectively apply what you learn to your business.

Our friends at VAClassroom have established a good reputation for creating training programs that produce a very positive return on investment for their students.

Currently, they are offering an early-bird registration and a $100 discount, making this a very affordable training program.

To join this year’s Summer Skill Camp and get all the details, visit this page here!

Enjoy!

Kyle

If you don’t have them, you may need to get that bus ticket home.

Mike started the TUTs Adventurers Club and I fell in love with their philosophy and Notes from the Universe. According to his site:

I not only own my own business with really terrific clients, but am involved in the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) in a variety of volunteer positions. Note the word ‘volunteer’. Since joining IAAP in 2001, I have held different offices ranging from committee chair to the 2007-2009 Colorado-Wyoming-Montana Division President. It is not that common to serve two years as President, but I managed – and while managing – I learned a lot about leadership.What it is, what it isn’t, what is expected, and how to (ahem) manage myself and expectations.

I will be traveling to Denver this month to give a presentation about leadership and what IAAP members might get out of stepping up and becoming a leader. There are so many benefits to taking that huge leap and taking charge! Many of them are professional but there can be an equal number of personal benefits. All I can do is speak from my experience, and, of course, from what I read if it resonates with me.

A leader must be able to see the whole picture and guide others in order to get to the goal. I like that Seth mentions leaders are artists and give gifts. How many of us don’t like to receive a gift? A leader’s gifts can be many things – it can be: giving the gift of communication, action, ownership, risk taking, vision, and most importantly – the gift of growth. People who take the reins of leadership in IAAP know they are not left on their own. We have so many intelligent and talented leaders who are willing to share and mentor. IAAP is known to be a very safe place to take a leadership role.

I learned so much from being a leader, trying new things (mainly because no one would tell me ‘No’) because it was a safe place and I had many people who believed in me and my vision. I saw many people and things as polished diamonds – and tried to empower others to just say ‘Yes!’ and do some really exciting things.

Being a business owner lends some strength to my leadership abilities, as I am the creative engineer and mechanical engineer in it. Or as Anastacia might say, I am both a goat and an eagle in my business. Experience as a leader helps both my goat and eagle in so many ways.

Don’t be afraid to be a leader or volunteer for something that might take you out of your comfort zone. It can be hard, true. But, in the long run, you can learn so much about yourself and others.

I have always believed that people who hack sites, e-mail accounts, etc., are brilliant and could use their brilliance in a much better way. Say, finding a cure for cancer? Sending me chocolate?

Either way, I have a new blog and have learning Worpress on the top of my list. So, what better way than to do that now?

Hackers? Please find some good to do instead of causing so much grief to others. Remember, Karma is a female, she will find you, she will hurt you.