Less is more

The complimentary Results Curve(tm) eBook is now available--give your team the gift of productivity!

The Results Curve eBook(tm); How to Manage Focused and Collaborative Time is now available. Don't let one more day go by with everyone is being interrupted and interrupting everyone else! Discover a whole new world of productivity inspite of the information overload.

Download The_Results_Curve_tm_eBook

"The digital revolution should make us all incredibly efficient and productive. The tools at our fingertips — easy multimedia production software, instant and free communication around the globe, massive research power without needing to get up out of our chair — should allow us to complete tasks in hours instead of days and leave us more leisure time than we could ever have imagined. And yet this promise of efficiency seems to be just a little beyond where we are right now, somehow always eluding our grip. We can’t seem to get there.

Our work environment is one of great onslaught. We struggle to get done on Friday what we had hoped to achieve the previous Monday. Why is it so difficult to do the things we really want to do?..."

Download The_Results_Curve_tm_eBook now and Keep on reading!

Learn more about The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook at Amazon.com (on which the Results Curve(tm) is based).

Join us in making the workplace a better place

• Join the “Accomplishing more with less” group on Facebook and on LinkedIn.
   
• Connect with me on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter (@pierrekhawand).
   
• Subscribe to my blog http://less-is-more.typepad.com
   
• Join the People-OnTheGo mailing list so you stay updated about future events, articles, books, and related resources: http://www.people-onthego.com
   
• Join our complimentary lunch & learn webinars every Thursday at noon Pacific Time: http://www.people-onthego.com

Invest $25 and get $35, $69, or $99 immediately! But there is a small catch!

Oh well, let us reverse the trends in which investments and returns are sinking and shrinking!

You get a free workshop (value $35 to $99--refer to workshop schedule for a list of workshops) when you invest $24.95 in getting The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook at Amazon.com. But hurry this won't last too long. 

As soon as you get the workbook, please forward the Amazon confirmation e-mail to   training@people-onthego.com, and indicate which workshop you would like to attend. By the way, your free seat will still be valid in the first quarter of 2010 if you don't get to attend your free workshop before then.

These are online live workshops that you can attend from anywhere!

So what is the small catch?

The small catch is that as a result of the breakthrough techniques presented in The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook, which will allow you to get the benefits outlined below, you will have more time to spend money (but please invest it wisely)!

What the Accomplishing More With Less Workbook will enable you to do

1. Better manage interruptions and stay focused on the task on hand until meaningful results are achieved while being responsive to the demands of your team and collaborate more effectively than ever before.
    
2. Work more strategically instead of working harder, methodically manage competing priorities, and learn new and innovative tools that can help you better align your daily activities with your goals.
    
3. Organize and manage your electronic and paper information easily and efficiently via a duplicate process that is practical and doable, instead of having your day “run over” by  information and “low impact” activities.
    
4. Manage stress like never before through purposeful action rather than passive reaction and turn stressful situations into opportunities.
    
5. Understand the obstacles that are stopping you from reaching your desired accomplishments, and take the necessary actions that will lead to growth and transformation, and significantly increased fulfillment.

See what others are saying about the book!

 

How do you do a book reading and signing "virtually"? Here is how! Join us 11/12 or 12/2

Last week we did it! And we will have it again on 11/12 and 12/10. It is a book reading and signing webinar for The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook which we released recently at Amazon.com. The webinar starts with an intro about the book and how it developed, and proceeds into selected readings about a variety of topics which include:

• The Myth of Multitasking
• Filing messages
• Working strategically
• Starting the day with intention
• The Immediately Priorities Matrix™
• Managing stress

How does the “signing" part work? You might ask!

For those who purchase the book before or during the lunch & learn webinar from Amazon, and e-mail me their info, I "mail" (the good old snail mail) to them a signed card and include a signed gift certificate that would allow them to attend one of the People-OnTheGo online live workshops this Fall (or in Q1 2010 when the schedule is available) at no charge. It was a nice blend of the virtual and real worlds!

The recording of the last book reading is available on Facebook

If you cannot make the live webinars, and you're interested in learning more about The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook and hear about the topics listed above, visit the "Accomplishing more with less" group in Facebook and see the video!

Check out the book reviews on Amazon!

This holiday season, give a different kind of gift!

What is the most precious thing that we all dream of having more of, and yet we find it virtually impossible to do so?

What I had in mind is “time”!

If we cannot create more time, maybe we can find innovative and unique ways to better utilize our time and feel accomplished instead of feeling hectic and overwhelmed and victimized by the information overload.

This holiday season, when you start to think about what special holiday gifts to get to your friends and family, or your colleagues, think outside the box. Think about the Accomplishing More With Less Workbook now available at Amazon.com. This will come just at the right time. The time when they are finishing the year and seeking ways to improve and start 2010 with a positive momentum. It would also be the perfect gift to add to your wish list or even treat yourself to.

By the way, this is what one of our readers indicated in their Amazon.com review

“I opened the workbook thinking - oh just another "how to". I was instantly struck in the first few pages. Set aside the time for the projects (stop the e-mail frenzy and other distractions). I read the book over the weekend and started my concentrated project time on Monday. Wow - did I accomplish a bunch, in only one day. That tip was just the beginning of a new way to work. THANKS”

More from the Accomplishing More With Less Workbook

Download The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook--Table of Contents

Download The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook--Introduction

Download The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook--Extract from first chapter

Special offer, today only (Fri. 10/16): Outlook, Excel, SharePoint Webinars!

Today's special offer not only gives you access to these webinars at the reduced $35 fee, but if you purchase one seat, you get to attend all three at no extra charge.

Once you purchase one seat at the $35 fee (in any of the three Webninars that are taking place next week), you can forward your receipt to training@people-onthego.com and request to be registered for the other two.

Microsoft SharePoint Techniques

October 20, 12:00pm PT, 2 hrs ($35 if purchased today)

Microsoft Excel 2007 Techniques

October 22, 9:30am PT, 90 min ($35 if purchased today)

Managing & Organizing Your Inbox in Outlook 2003

October 22, 11:30am PT, 90 min (35 if purchased today)

Hope you will be able to join us!

Questions? E-mail training@people-onthego.com or call 415.503.1649

iPhone 3G Contest extended: Organize your Results Curve(tm) Lunch & Learn in September--YouTube option available

As many of our readers have requested, the “making the workplace a better place” contest has been extended until the end of September 2009. Here is how you can participate, make your workplace a better place, and be part of the iPhone 3G drawing:

1. Get your team into a conference room (or organize a web conference if your team is virtual).

 

2. Show them “The Results Curve™--how to manage focused versus collaborative work” webinar recording:

 

Here is the abridged version (7 minutes):

 

 

The full version  (15 minutes) is available at the "Accomplishing more with less" group on Facebook.

3. Discuss how you are going to help each other stay focused and how to escalate issues when issues are worth escalating.

 

4. Report your findings:

 

- Either by e-mailing us at training@people-onthego.com (with “Results Curve Contest” in the subject line).

- Or posting your comment in this blog entry.

- Or by posting your findings at the Wall in the Accomplishing more with less group.

 

5. After you report your findings, you will be entered in the iPhone 3G drawing--results to be announced at the end of day on September 30. 

 

Most importantly, you will be the catalyst for constructive change, and you and your team will benefit as a result.

 

Join us in making the workplace a better place! Get started now by scheduling your lunch & learn!

Lunch & Learn: The growing risk of e-mail and blog mis-use

For today's employers proper employee use of e-mail, message boards, media-sharing Web sites and blogs is becoming increasingly important. Yesterday, Kelly Savage of Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP discussed the growing risk of e-mail and blog mis-use with our lunch & learn attendees and offerred advice on implementing a successful electronic communication security policy to prevent the devastating consequences associated with employee abuse of of these and other electronic forms of communication.

Kelly represents clients in the pharmaceutical, manufacturing, transportation, computer, real estate and insurance industries and has almost a decade of experience counseling and defending companies in state and federal court at both the court and appellate level. Her presentation included polls that showed lunch & learn attendees experiencing e-mail and blog mis-use issues at their companies with the same frequency as the surveys Kelly was referencing. As many as one in three employers say they have investigated a suspected leak of confidential proprietary information in the last year, and 27.6 percent of employers surveyed have terminated an employee for violating e-mail policies.

With the issue clearly significant and growing, Kelly outlined an effective security policy to help address the issues. She also offerred to provide a sample security policy to any company who may need it as a reference point. You can contact Kelly at kelly.savage@sdma.com.

Also, check out Kelly's slides from the presentation:

Download Lunch_and_Learn_Email_Blog_Misuse

Join us for our upcoming free lunch & learn session!

Working together effectively: Using DiSC to help teams collaborate (on Thursday, December 11th, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 12:45 pm Pacific Time)

Register for Using DiSC to help teams collaborate

Our lunch & learn program description and registration

Get your brown bag lunch (or snack) ready, and join us online every Thursday at 12:00 noon Pacific Time for 45 minutes to learn the latest and most innovative tips and techniques for individual and team productivity, and get the latest updates about important workplace and productivity issues.

Review program and register for our lunch & learn webinars

Upcoming Lunch & Learn Webinar on the Growing Risk of E-mail and Blog Mis-use

Proper employee use of e-mail, message boards, media-sharing Web sites and blogs is of critical importance to today’s employers. According to various surveys, as many as one in three employers say they have investigated a suspected leak of confidential proprietary information in the last year. Moreover, 27.6% of employers surveyed have terminated an employee for violating e-mail policies.

When employees misuse e-mail, message boards, and blogs in the workplace, it raises a host of security and liability issues. Employers must take steps to reduce the risks associated with employee-misuse of electronic communications to protect the assets of the business. This week's webinar will focus on creating and implementing a successful electronic communication security policy to prevent the devastating consequences associated with employee abuse of e-mail and other electronic forms of communication.

Join us for lunch and to learn more about the topic!

The growing risk of e-mail and blog mis-use (Thursday December 4th, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 12:45 pm Pacific Time)

Register for The growing risk of e-mail and blog mis-use lunch & learn webinar

Our lunch & learn program description and registration

Get your brown bag lunch (or snack) ready, and join us online every Thursday at 12:00 noon Pacific Time for 45 minutes to learn the latest and most innovative tips and techniques for individual and team productivity, and get the latest updates about important workplace and productivity issues.

Review program and register for our lunch & learn webinars

Lunch & Learn: Google Apps--working and collaborating from anywhere

In this lunch & learn webinar session productivity consultant, Gus Elliott, presented participants with a live demonstration of the Google Apps functionality. Gus demonstrated everything from the more familiar Google e-mail and calendar to Google document and site management and explained how Google Apps can help remote workshops and virtual teams to better collaborate and increase productivity.

Overall, the presentation familiarized participants with a free set of powerful collaborative tools. Especially helpful was Gus' overview of the Google Apps Excel function which allows posting and editing of Excel files online. Team members can access and edit Excel documents simultaneously while also chatting online. Google Apps also provides a convenient revision tracking function, allowing teams to view the revision history of a document in its entirety.

Join us for our upcoming free lunch & learn session!

Microsoft Groove—working and collaboration from anywhere (on Thursday October 9, 2008 from 12:00 noon to 12:45 pm Pacific Time)

Register for Microsoft Groove

Our lunch & learn program description and registration

Get your brown bag lunch (or snack) ready, and join us online every Thursday at 12:00 noon Pacific Time for 45 minutes to learn the latest and most innovative tips and techniques for individual and team productivity, and get the latest updates about important workplace and productivity issues.

Review program and register for our lunch & learn webinars

How do I create the “To Be Categorized” rule in Microsoft Outlook asked our workshop participant

One of the techniques that we teach in the our "Managing and Organizing Your E-mail Inbox--using Microsoft Outlook" is to create rules that automatically categorize incoming messages, so they are easier to review, by grouping the inbox by category.

For instance, you create a rule that checks for incoming e-mail messages from customers, and automatically assigns to them the category "Customers", and another rule that checks for incoming e-mail messages from your team are automatically assigns to them the category "Team", and so forth. Then the inbox, when grouped by category, will show these messages nicely organized and easy to go through.

So the question is: What happens to incoming e-mail messages that come from senders who don't fit in any of the rules that you created? If you don't do anything about these incoming e-mail messages, they will be be all displayed on top, and will occupy some important real estate in your inbox. The answer would b to create the "To Be Categorized" rule and category.

You create the "To be Categorized" rule and category, just like any other rule and category, except that:

a) You do not include any conditions in this rule. When you get to the step where you normally include the condition (see the window below), you leave all conditions unchecked, and click Next.

b) At this point, Outlook is going to ask you to confirm, so press Yes:

c) Then in the next step, assign the category "To Be Categorized". It is recommended that you add this to the Master Category List, and then assign it. In general, we recommend that you name this category "4 To Be Categorized" and reserve the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions for more important categories such as your boss, customers, and team members.

d) Proceed with finishing the rest of the steps.

e) There is one extra needed here, and that is to place this newly created "4 To Be Categorized" rule at the end, so that it is executed last. To do so, select the rule in the Rules Wizard window, and click on the move down button until the rule is at the very end as shown here:

For more information about managing and organizing e-mail, please visit the "Managing and Organizing Your E-mail Inbox" online live workshops and web self-paced classes.