SOLUTIONS ~ Winter 2007
Welcome to SOLUTIONS ~ The Organizers' Newsletter ~ Winter 2007. We are happy to have you as a member of the ProfessionalOrganizers.Community.
SOLUTIONS is a publication produced periodically throughout the year that focuses on operating a successful professional organizing business.
This issue features...
1. Introduction
2. Outlook Express vs. Outlook ~ Which should you choose?
3. Continuing Education Webinars
4. Let Technology Work for You
5. Administration
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1. Introduction
Now that the children are settled back in school, it comes to mind that we, too, need to turn our minds to further education. Our clients are becoming far more sophisticated and are looking for solutions and systems that go beyond the scope of many organizers. With the advent of so much technology, a Professional Organizer needs to be knowledgeable about so much in order to stay ahead of the competition, even in the residential market.
It has never been easier to attend great educational classes as it relates to the field of organizing. All of the associations (POC, NAPO & NSGCD) are offering numerous teleseminars to help you gain a better understanding of the area of your choice.
As you will see below, Productivity Squared has launched their new webinar training series and we're thrilled to announce that participants comments are very encouraging and it resonated loudly through their comments that it was a thrill to attend a session and not have to dress up...
New technology has made it possible to offer these education programs through the internet ~ which means that you do not pay for long distance lines. You listen and watch a live webinar ~ complete with PowerPoint presentation and you have the ability to chat using an instant messaging feature ~ all from the comfort of your home.
As technology does play a large part in running an organizing business, we have focused on Microsoft Outlook in this issue, the contact database manager of our choice. (We chose to work with a software program that a huge majority of our clients were using.) We want to do our best to help you get the most of the tools you probably have right on your PC.
Yours in organizing,
Debra
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2. Outlook Express vs. Outlook – Which should you choose? by Dave Paradi
Most PC’s today come with Microsoft’s Outlook Express e-mail software pre-loaded and configured for use right away, so many people start using it as their default e-mail program. But the Microsoft Office suite that many people use contains Outlook, another program that manages e-mail. Which one should you use?
In general, the free Outlook Express should be used for home use and Outlook should be used for business use, from home based business to larger enterprises. Here are four reasons for my suggestion.
Outlook has more applications built-in
The Outlook Express software is really an e-mail package. It will allow you to keep an address book, but it is not robust enough to be a true contact management software tool. The Outlook package is designed as a Personal Information Management (PIM) tool. It contains the e-mail functionality, as well as a full contact application, task list and calendar. All of these tools are integrated with each other, making them easier to use together. For example, you can schedule a meeting with someone else and it will update your calendar and send an e-mail to that person notifying them of the request for a meeting.
Outlook can synchronize better with a Handheld device
Many mobile professionals are now carrying a mobile computing device, whether it is a Palm, Handspring Visor or Pocket PC. To avoid double entry and overwriting of data, it is critical that your mobile device synchronizes your data with your computer. Most synchronization tools are built for Outlook but not Outlook Express because many people rely on the calendar, contacts and task list data more than the e-mail data. It also allows Outlook to function as the primary data source so that if you lose the data on your handheld (which has happened to me), you have an original source.
Outlook has a more robust E-mail feature
While both packages will handle basic e-mail functions, Outlook is more robust than Outlook Express. For example, Outlook contains such features as the ability to send a message at a specific time in the future, allows more complex e-mail signatures (which can be a great marketing tool) and allows you to set up more complex e-mail rules that can help deal with the barrage of e-mail we all get on a daily basis.
Outlook offers more MAPI compliant features
MAPI stands for Messaging Application Program Interface and it is the way that other programs interface with the e-mail application to offer new features. Outlook Express offers basic MAPI features where you have the ability to send e-mail from an application such as Word or Excel. Outlook extends the functionality and allows you to do things such as mail-merge to e-mail so you can create personalized e-mails to a group of people using the mail-merge features of Word.
If you want to see a full comparison of the two products, go to this Word document that Microsoft has on their web site:http://www.microsoft.com/office/outlook/evaluation/compare.doc
When you get your new PC pre-loaded with Microsoft Outlook Express, consider these points before you go ahead and set it up as the default e-mail application.
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© 2006 Dave Paradi ~ Dave Paradi helps people avoid “Death by PowerPoint” and other electronic sins. He is the author of the book “Don’t Let Your Next Presentation Be a Career Limiting Move – The Complete Guide to Using Presentation Technology” and the Seminar on CD “Build & Deliver Effective Presentation Slides”. Dave also writes a bi-weekly e-zine titled “Communicating Using Technology”. Access more articles at his web site http://www.communicateusingtechnology.com/ or contact Dave by e-mail at dave@communicateusingtechnology.com.
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3. Organizers’ Training Now Available Online ~ Continuing Education Webinars
The Continuing Education Program ~ Webinar Series provides informational online training to new and experienced Professional Organizers. Skilled professionals will speak on various topics relating to the many areas of operating a successful business as a Professional Organizer.
In today's fast-paced world, many of us find it difficult to take time away from our business and family to attend seminars. One of the primary advantages of webinars is that you can attend from the comfort and convenience of your own home or office. The online webinars combine audio and visual instruction to create a great way to learn without ever having to travel. All you need is a PC with adjustable speakers, a high resolution screen and a high-speed internet connection. As you will be watching live using the Internet, there are no long distance fees and travel time and distance are not an issue.
During these information-packed sessions, you will learn from certified and experienced professionals who will share highly relevant perspectives, valuable insights and anecdotes to help you operate a successful organizing business. No matter what your current situation when it comes to creation, change or growth - we help you create the results you want. For further information, please visit Continuing Education Webinars.
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4. Let Technology Work for You ~ by Debra Milne
Do you ever wonder how anyone accomplished anything before today’s technology was introduced? How could anyone be productive without computers, cell phones, and PDA’s? Work did get done, but at a much slower pace.
Quite simply, technology has changed the face, and the pace, of information distribution and the way we conduct our day-to-day lives. Not only has it changed how we do business, it has also had a profound effect on our personal lives.
With technology so prominent today, it would seem logical that it offer some of the best solutions to problems associated with increased workloads and the complexity of life. Equipped with the right system, you can let technology work for you, strategically managing activities and tasks, as well as ensuring your goals and objectives are attained. While there are a number of programs available, we focus specifically on Microsoft Outlook®.
Outlook was designed to make organizing your daily information almost automatic. It pulls together everything you need to know about your daily tasks, appointments, e-mail messages, and other details. It can act as your assistant in dealing with the flurry of small but important items.
Using containers such as Calendar, Contacts, E-Mail, Notes, and Tasks, Outlook becomes a highly functional organizing system. As the backbone of any organizing system, these containers provide the necessary homes for the items you need to process and manage your life efficiently.
Before you utilize these containers, you need to simplify your decision-making process. When faced with new information, you must apply The Principle of A.R.T.© and decide whether you need to act on it, record it or toss it.
Act ~ Can it be handled now? Do I have enough time? Do I have enough energy? As a general rule, if it can be handled quickly, do it.
Record ~ If you determine that an item cannot be handled immediately, then you must enter it into your system.
Toss ~ Items that do not enhance your life and have no value can be immediately tossed!
Tasks is an action container for you to record activities you need to do to bring items closer to completion. Think of it as your “to do” list. Many times these lists remain exactly that, things that you still need to do. These lists often fail because they do not identify the next activity that needs to be done to bring it closer to completion. As such, they remain on the “to-do” list far too long. Failing to identify the next activity invites procrastination. Since most lists represent only partial reminders, they cause us to review information more than once before deciding what to do with it.
The best practice for recording your task is to preface each entry with its appropriate next activity. Many of the tasks you perform are similar in preparation and completion. Preface each item with the required activity type and similar tasks will be clustered together, allowing you to maintain focus and efficiency.
Your Task list should include the following activity types: Call, Pay, Read, Errand, Pending, Research, File, Plan and Write.
Notes are the electronic equivalent of the sticky paper notes and are a freeform recording tool. While not a lot of functionality has been given to this section, Notes are a perfect area for collecting and organizing reference and checklists. They can be sorted and accessed as needed. Notes are not connected to a reminder system, have no scrolling function and have limited display settings, but they function exceedingly well at managing lists.
To increase personal productivity and the speed at which you achieve your objectives, your goal should be to work towards an empty e-mail Inbox. For the most part, it is best to think of your e-mail system as a communication tool and your inbox as a temporary resting ground for items needing your attention.
You can create a proper storage area for each e-mail you need to retain by creating, and using folders and sub-folders under your Inbox. E-mail folders are either Action folders or Reference folders. Action folders contain items that still require your attention, while Reference folders contain items that you feel need to be kept for future use.
It must be easy for you to record things automatically when dealing with information. It must be easy for you to turn to your system every time you pick up the phone, send an e-mail, or get ready to go to a meeting. It must become second nature. You need to be able to work as fast as you think.
Make it a habit to review your system often. Prepare yourself for tomorrow, and allow your mind to be free. A modest investment in time learning how to use these tools efficiently will bring immediate results. Become more productive today ~ let technology work for you!
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5. Administration
SOLUTIONS ~ The Organizers' Newsletter is designed to provide timely advice that can help you to take advantage of the many exciting opportunities within the organizing profession. It is part of our overall commitment to helping you expand your talents, business and resources. While primarily focusing on the field of professional organizing, SOLUTIONS - The Organizers' Newsletter is assembled and composed with the best of intentions to provide accurate and useful information for our professional organizing community. If you would like to contribute in any way ~ please contact us at newsletter@ProfessionalOrganizers.com.
If you have any suggestions, comments or would like to submit an article for an upcoming issue, please let us know. We are a spam free company and only send our e-zine to those who have requested it. We do not sell, rent or loan our mailing lists.
If you find this newsletter to be of value, we invite and encourage you to forward it to other organizers and please accept our thanks. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please forward an e-mail containing the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line to info@professionalorganizers.com
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Debra Milne
ProfessionalOrganizers.com…a division of Productivity Squared Inc. "An Organized Approach To Enhanced Productivity" 1-888-739-9965 Debra@ProfessionalOrganizers.comhttp://www.professionalorganizers.com/
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Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.
~William Butler Yeats ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
