5 Tips for Keeping Your Inbox Empty
Does your Inbox always seem to be overflowing with messages? Here are 5 tips for managing your Inbox to keep it empty.
1. DELETE any message after scanning the from and subject line that is not needed or obvious SPAM.
2. DELEGATE any message or task that requires delegation by forwarding the message to the appropriate person.
3. DEFER messages that are not immediately actionable.
What is your Centerpoint? Meet Blue Angels Pilot, John Foley
Recently while in Dallas at an industry conference for Tigerpaw Software, I had the great pleasure of hearing John Foley speak in person. He is Amazing and the focus that the Blue Angels have is Amazing. When the Blue Angels fly in formation, they start with the planes at 36 inches apart and get the planes as close as 18 inches apart. It must take incredible focus to achieve such precision. John explains that for every show, the Blue Angels have a centerpoint that everyone remains focused on. This centerpoint allows all of the pilots to focus on one thing and achieve unbelievable accuracy. Just imagine what you could do with that kind of focus. What is your centerpoint? What are you going to focus on that will make you achieve unbelievable goals?
10 Easy Ways To Eliminate E-mail Overload
E-mail driving you crazy? Every time you delete one, do five more show up? Are you finding it impossible to answer every e-mail you receive? If this is you, then here are 10 tips to reduce e-mail overload.
1- Get a good spam filter. Even if it saves you just 10 minutes a day, that adds up to over 59 hours a year.
2- Cancel subscriptions to unwanted mailing lists. Also, make sure you are careful to check the “unsubscribe” or “opt-out” box when purchasing items online.
3- Ask your friends to remove you from joke groups or chain messages.
4- Don’t post or publish your e-mail on websites.
5- Don’t respond to every e-mail you receive. Yes, it’s okay NOT to respond to some e-mails.
6- Be succinct. Restrict your messages to a few sentences. If you can’t, pick up the phone or talk in person.
7- Take advantage of subject lines. If possible, put your question in the subject line of your message. Here’s another tip: create a set of codes with your co-workers and place them in the subject line to help them process and prioritize messages. For example, use “FYI” for informational messages. Use “AR” for action required and “URG” for urgent messages.
8- Block time to answer your e-mail and fight the temptation to check your e-mail every few minutes.
9- Respond to messages when you open them so you only read them once.
10- Set time aside in the morning and the evening to process your inbox. Shoot for a completely empty inbox. File messages you need to keep and set reminders for messages that require you to follow up.
4 Questions About Backups That You Should Know The Answers To
The old saying, “Pack your own parachute,” comes to mind when I think of data backups or, more specifically, data RECOVERY. However, how many people actually know how to pack their data backup “parachute.
Since the absolute WORST time to check your backups is AFTER a data disaster, all business owners ought to know the answers to the following questions NOW so they aren’t unpleasantly surprised later when data gets erased and they’re scrambling to get back up and running:
How to Pick a Good Password!
What’s the most common password? You guessed it…”password.” Obviously this is not the best way to protect yourself against hackers and online thieves. But even if you don’t use the word “password,” you might be using an equally easy password to decipher.
We suggest you DON’T use the following passwords for really important web sites, such as your online banking web site or other financially related sites.
Security Alert!
Ads for fake antivirus and antispyware programs are multiplying!
How to avoid getting tricked?
Many “reputable” sites are compromised and the owners don’t know it. So it’s not always where you surf. Here are four tips that may help you avoid getting infected.
The best prevention is your own skepticism. The rule is: IF IN DOUBT, DON’T!
“The 19 Most Important Rules of E-mail Etiquette”
E-mail is quickly becoming the #1 way we communicate with friends, family, co-workers, employees, and clients. But be careful! E-mail messages cannot accurately deliver the tone of your message and what you thought was funny sarcasm may be interpreted as an insult to your reader.
More than 80 years have passed since Emily Post wrote her first book on etiquette. Back then, the rules had more to do with how to properly introduce someone and which fork to use at a dinner party. But with the introduction of new communication tools comes new rules. Below are 19 quick tips and rules for what is—and isn’t—acceptable behavior when using e-mail.
“5 Easy Ways to Avoid Getting an Avalanche of Spam”
Spam e-mails are not only annoying and time consuming, but they’re also becoming more dangerous to your personal privacy and the security of your computer. Millions of computers users are getting infected, spoofed, and tricked by spam e-mails every year, forcing the user to pay hefty fees to clean and restore their PCs back to working order.
So what can we do about this?