Total Workday Control with Microsoft Outlook
One of the things I have come to enjoy most about blogging are the connections I’ve made with so many interesting people. Sometimes, these connections turn into collaborations. I do a podcast with James Kendrick (a new show is coming real soon now), have co-authored training classes with Jeremy Wright, and had the great experience of joining some of my favorite business bloggers on the More Space book project.
Shortly after the publication of Seize the Workday Using the Tablet PC, my most-frequently recommended guide to productivity using the Tablet PC, I got to know Michael Linenberger, the author of that book. Michael and I maintained a regular e-mail correspondence and, when he told me he was planning on writing a second book called Total Workday Control which would focus on maximizing productivity using Microsoft Outlook, I jumped at the chance to help as a reviewer of his drafts of the book.
Michael and I corresponded frequently as he refined the book and, it was with great joy that I accepted his invitation to write the foreword for the book. Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook won’t be available from Amazon.com and other book sellers until January but Michael has set up a web site where you can order the book right now, in advance of its general release to the public. I highly recommend this book to any of you who use Outlook as your “dashboard” application. Michael has developed an excellent system of customized views, workflow, and effective practices to get the most out of this essential application.
Here’s a snippet from the foreword I wrote for the book:
Total Workday Control addresses all of the things I believe are critical to achieving a high level of stress-free productivity.
- Emptying your Inbox on a regular basis
- Extracting what is actionable from every e-mail, memo, and document you receive (electronic or paper).
- Creating a task list that puts the most important actions you must take to succeed at your fingertips.
- Organizing your dashboard so you can see your calendar and tasks in context.
- Labeling every e-mail and task so it can be found quickly.
Total Workday Control will show you how to accomplish all of these goals. This is not a technology book - no programming or deep technical knowledge is required. This is a book about process, discipline, and rewards. The ultimate payoff I’ve gotten from following Michael’s advice, and one I’m confident you too will enjoy, is that I feel much more in control. I know what I need to do, when I need to do it, and why I’m doing it. I go home every evening, at a reasonable hour, and feel good about what I’ve accomplished that day. I rarely bring work home with me. I rarely stay at work after hours. When a co-worker asks me for information, I can find it in a matter of minutes.