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How to master Outlook

Posted on 11 Mar 2009 at 16:03

Signs to look out for are a constant feeling that you're fire-fighting, or that you find yourself distracted by the latest and greatest things. "If you're not really sure what you're doing then you'll be distracted by whatever is the latest, loudest bright bauble in front of you," claims Allen, citing social-networking sites and instant messaging as possible distractions. "But if you really know what you're doing, you won't let instant messaging get in your way."

So, work out your long-term objectives. Take the time to map out how you can achieve them, and from that work out what your next achievable task is to take you along that road. It's common sense, but most people consider themselves too busy fire-fighting to take the time out to plan.

The next step

Switching to the Getting Things Done method, or signing up to McGhee's alternative, requires a big shift in thinking, and it may not suit you. But you shouldn't expect instant results. "GTD is like learning any art or craft, it takes two years," David Allen argues.

"It's going to take you two years to learn Russian or Italian or to tango or to learn the banjo, so when you're talking about learning a new set of behaviours, it's going to take time. But even to be aware of GTD has a huge amount of value, as you can go, wow, in case I ever get in trouble I know there's a way out."

This article only touches upon what GTD has to offer, and if it appeals then you should buy the book and also Sally McGhee's slightly different - and more technology-focused - approach to the problem. For $15, you can also download a comprehensive 45-page guide from www.davidco.com/store that gives step-by-step instructions for moulding Outlook to your ways (both for Outlook 2003 and 2007).

It's a brave new world, and not everyone will change their way of working. But even if you only embrace a few core tenets, from the two-minute rule to setting up categories, you can leave work each day feeling that you're in control and have achieved all you want to achieve.

Author: Tim Danton