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TECHNOLOGY
Master Data Handling and Workflow

How executives organize their personal work matters more now than it ever has. Things as simple as efficient time management, organization, and email processing help you save time and sharpen the knife of effectiveness. Do you know how to triage your time, abandoning and delegating tasks until all that remains is the lean, profitable meat of your job? Even something as simple as how you handle information can smooth your workflow, saving you more of that most precious of resources: time.

Technology has been a blessing in this regard, but it’s a two-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s helped make modern workers more productive. The cloud computing phenomenon alone has simplified access to anywhere/anytime information, letting us do our work no matter where we are.

Conversely, technology can be tyrannical. Not only do you risk Schlimmbesserung (the effort to make something better that actually makes it worse; in this case, the flood of new work triggered by supposed timesaving inventions), it sometimes makes it easier for others to steal proprietary information. You may also become trapped by your technology, unable to survive without it.

REINING IN INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Triage is a medical term, but it applies well to business situations. Basically, the idea is to continually reorganize tasks by priority, so the most important or most pressing ones come first. On the battlefield, medics triage by the severity of the wound; the most life-threatening injuries and burn victims are shuffled to the top of the list. The triage order may change moment by moment. Part of the process is making sure those least likely to survive are made as comfortable as possible but placed at the bottom of the triage list. That last bit may sound brutal, but medics have to do it in order to save as many lives as possible.

To smooth your workflow and make the best use of your time, you have to adapt a triage mentality for yourself and your team. Even in the best of times, you’ll find that some of your tasks and projects are dying, and that it’s past time to save them or make them worthwhile—so you have to let them go.

Everything that grows must be pruned. With plants, that may be literal; with animals and people, less so. We remove excess hair, cut our nails, and lose dead skin cells naturally as we go about our lives (sometimes with a little help from a loofah sponge). Our brains automatically prune connections between brain cells so we’re not overwhelmed with sensation or thought. Similarly, we have to prune our ideas and our schedules to function more effectively.

So get busy with your scalpel and cut out the nonurgent. Trim away anything that doesn’t contribute to strategic execution. Too often, we waste time on activities that don’t align with corporate priorities, either from efforts to try new things or because we’re still using legacy processes we should have tossed years ago.

Take a look at what you’re doing that might be detracting from your productivity and eliminate the least useful items. Push the triage process hard and fast, and you’ll get it done.

One critical area you’ll have to triage is your information inflow. The average person is inundated with information, in the form of news, educational studies, advertisements, casual entertainment, the Internet, email, and more. Don’t drown in it. When you triage that as well, you can save an enormous amount of time.

Social researcher Richard Saul Wurman once calculated that every issue of the New York Times contained more information than the average person in Elizabethan England learned in his or her lifetime.³⁶ Wurman published that observation back in 1987—before the information explosion we call the Internet got started. Imagine how much worse it is today. Add in easy access to nearly every book, magazine, and newspaper ever published, and it’s hardly surprising that, according to research analyst Jonathan B. Spira, “94% of knowledge workers have felt overwhelmed to the point of incapacitation by the amount of information they encounter on a daily basis.”³⁷

There are tens of millions of information workers in the United States alone. The fact that 94 percent of us have been vapor-locked by information overload at one time or another has sobering ramifications for productivity.

Reducing Your Information Intake

The only way to overcome “infobesity” is to triage mercilessly, then reduce the amount you take in forever. Keep these tips in mind as you work toward stemming the info-tide.

1 LIMIT YOUR EXPOSURE TO EXTERNAL INFORMATION AT WORK. Instead of checking social media during your lunch and breaks, actually take those breaks. Eat, talk to people, go for a walk—just get away from your desk. You have enough work-related information to deal with. When you do check the news, don’t let links and ads drag you off in unproductive directions.

2 CHECK YOUR EMAIL AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. Focus on email several discrete times a day, rather than keeping your inbox open and constantly monitoring it. I process email five to seven times a day, getting the inbox down to zero (using Outlook’s “Move to Tasks” functionality), reprioritizing accordingly, and then working for a focused period. During that period, I don’t check email, I turn my smartphone to airplane mode, and forward my calls to voicemail. Mike Howard of Microsoft has a similar process. “I check in three times a day, which equates to an hour and a half max of doing email.”

Setting email filters also helps. Every email client lets you filter email according to specific rules, automatically discarding messages that fail to meet the standards you set. Blacklists tell the system to discard email messages from specific addresses, so you never even see them. Whitelists specify precisely who you’re willing to receive mail from, accepting only their emails and blocking the rest. You can also create rules to automatically file messages with certain words in the subject line in particular folders, or to play a sound when you receive an email from a particular person.

3 EMPLOY THE RIGHT MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. Sometimes it’s more efficient to pick up the phone rather than continue an email volley. In other cases, nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. Rather than waste time and increase unnecessary information, carefully select the most efficient means of communication for each issue.

4 HONE YOUR ONLINE RESEARCH SKILLS. Take advantage of Boolean data type operators online and other simple shortcuts to streamline info-searches and return fewer, better-targeted results.

5 MAXIMIZE READING TIME. If you have a lot of material to wade through, adopt a speed-reading system such as J. Michael Bennett’s rhythmic perusal method. Carry around material for downtime reading as printouts in your briefcase, PDFs on your iPad, or ebooks on your Kindle. That way, you can catch up whenever you’re stuck in traffic, standing in line, or waiting in the doctor’s office.

Grabbing a Lifeline

If you ever find yourself paralyzed by information overload, scale back as far as you possibly can. Ideally, you’ll end up well below your overwhelm threshold. Then you can start adding back information sources one at a time, gradually refining your ability to handle each until you feel you can add another. Maintain the methods I’ve outlined here, and you’ll find it easier to handle the inflow in the future.

The 6-D Information Management System™

I first introduced my 6-D Information Management System in Leave the Office Earlier (see facing chart). I’ve taught it consistently since the 1990s, because you don’t abandon what works. It’s been the subject of lots of “the sincerest form of flattery,” but the original derives from six decisions that all begin with the letter “D”—hence the name.

You can use the 6-D System to process and fine-tune any type of information. Nowadays we focus mainly on email, but these steps apply to paperwork and voicemail as well.

If the instructions in the facing chart are Greek to you, visit www.TheProductivityPro.com/outlook for details about my twelve-hour video tutorial on using Microsoft Outlook effectively and efficiently.

PIONEER NEW TECHNOLOGY

Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, once explained its appeal as “technology unchained.” In the Star Trek universe, technology has become so advanced that poverty (and money) no longer exists, and doctors can cure most illnesses. That doesn’t mean Starfleet doesn’t run afoul of Klingons or the Borg occasionally, however. And sometimes technology backfires in unexpected ways. The same thing can happen to you in the here-and-now.

New technology can have its dangers, especially in the workplace. Improperly implemented, it can slow or stop productivity. Additionally, inexperienced or malicious users can leave backdoors open for hackers and identity thieves to waltz right in and steal or corrupt data. So before you dive in, dip a toe in the waters first.

Here are four suggestions to keep in mind before you take the plunge with new technology:

1 STUDY ITS IMPACT. Will the new technology really upgrade productivity? If not, why bother? If so, could it still be more trouble than it’s worth? Is the new functionality worth the cost of the training you’ll have to pay for when you upgrade? How will the new technology help or hinder you? Large organizations sometimes skip versions of Microsoft Outlook, for example. Many chose to go directly from 2007 to 2013, skipping the 2010 version, because 2013’s functionality didn’t change much from 2010’s, and upgrading thousands of users is both expensive and complicated. Examine the pros and cons in detail before you implement. If the cons outweigh the pros, forget it.

2 CALCULATE THE COSTS. At some point, you’ll have no choice but to upgrade. Either manufacturers will stop supporting your old tech, or everyone else will adopt the new version, leaving you in the dust. But ask yourself: must you do it now? You may want to wait until the price drops and the bugs are fixed. In 1993, dual-core 486 IBM clones were the acme of modern desktop computing. Within a year, manufacturers couldn’t give them away because everyone wanted Pentiums.

3 CONSIDER SCHLIMMBESSERUNG. Will the upgrade increase your productivity over the long run—or will you end up working harder and longer? The German word Schlimmbesserung is particularly apt for “time-saving” technology that actually creates more work. Before the invention of the vacuum cleaner, most floors were made of easily swept hardwood or tile. Carpets were few, small, and ornamental, and got a good cleaning a few times a year. Afterward, wall-to-wall carpeting became popular, and homemakers found themselves vacuuming several times a week—a classic example of Schlimmbesserung.

4 INCLUDE AN EXIT STRATEGY. Ease into the change. Test the new technology to make sure it does all it promises—and don’t hesitate to roll back to your old tech if it doesn’t. Back in 2001, a telephony company that’s now part of Tektronix Communications implemented a company-wide computer upgrade that the IT department promised would help everyone do their jobs better. They were well into it before many employees realized they’d actually lost functionality. Vital software wouldn’t run on the new operating system (OS), and often the new OS wouldn’t run on the computers, because the computers themselves were outdated. By then, the IT team had already purchased hundreds of expensive OS licenses and had committed to the changeover. Because decent workstations cost more than $2,000 back then, it cost quite a bit more than expected to upgrade and replace the systems of all 250-plus employees.

Handle with Care

We realize new technology can be dangerous when misused, but we use it anyway. Why? Because the benefits usually outweigh the dangers.

This has been especially true of the electronic technology that’s recently revolutionized the white-collar workplace. As long as you take reasonable care when adopting new technology, the worst it will do is slow you down a bit before you retrain, regroup, and recharge.

Get Your Head into the Clouds

Speaking of revolutionary technology: not so long ago, the ability to access our data anywhere at any time would have seemed miraculous. But after near-ubiquitous Wi-Fi laid the foundation, cloud computing took it from there. These days, smart companies have made “the cloud” a mainstay of their productivity and data security plans.

Despite the name, your data’s not really floating around in the air like water vapor. It’s in vast data warehouses, often located in remote venues packed full of humming data servers. That’s not so different from the data farms of yore, but the strength of the cloud concept lies in its structure. The system backs up cloud data in multiple locations so it can be restored easily.

The productivity benefits are obvious. Not only is cloud storage free or cheap, but also you’re no longer chained to one location or device. If you’re stuck waiting for a delayed flight, you can turn on your smartphone’s wireless hotspot and go to work on your laptop or tablet. If you’re giving a speech and your laptop decides to die on you in the hotel, your presentation isn’t in danger if you housed your files on the cloud through such services as Google Drive or Dropbox.

You can be on the other side of the world on business and easily grab files; indeed, most developed nations have pulled ahead of the United States in implementing cloud computing. Google Docs, Dropbox, Evernote, MS OneDrive, Hightail, the Amazon Web Services, and many other cloud services have made it a piece of cake to transfer and share files, back up data, sync between devices, and ensure you can access it all wherever you find yourself.

The security benefits are exceptional as well. You no longer need to worry about a single regional event—such as a huge blackout—blocking access to or killing your data; cloud storage is decentralized. The integrity of the data is on a good footing, too, because there’s no single server that hackers can loot to steal all the data—though occasional breaches do occur.

CONTROL YOUR TECHNO-TOOLS

Ideally, the only purpose of a tool is to gain and leverage an advantage. But often this comes with a price. The mobility offered by automobiles comes at the price of gasoline, maintenance, and insurance costs, for example. Sometimes a tool is just too easy to use, so we use it for everything, blurring the line between work and personal applications.

Modern information technology is a prime example of the latter. Consider the time we spend surfing the Internet, responding to social media, tapping out text messages, reading and replying to email—all things originally intended to improve our productivity. Mostly they have, but some people become so focused on these that the tools run their lives.

At first glance, this may seem ludicrous—but have you ever loitered around the house waiting for an important phone call, felt lost without your smartphone, or stressed out if your email was down?

If so, keep these tips in mind when dealing with workplace info-tech:

1 KNOW WHEN TO TUNE OUT AND TURN OFF. When it’s time to be off work, be off work. Power down and live in the moment with family and friends, or you’ll never learn to set firm boundaries between personal and work time. You need your time off to recharge. Crunch times, when you absolutely have to focus to finish something on schedule, also represent good times to turn away from distracting technology and do your work the old-fashioned way.

Be especially sure to turn off your alerts. Unless you work in social media or online customer service, you don’t need to know the instant every email pops into your mailbox, and you certainly don’t need Twitter to tell you someone just mentioned you in a tweet. Even a minor distraction—like stopping to read an email—can destroy your focus, and it takes several minutes to get back on track.

2 LIMIT YOUR INTERNET USAGE. Internet-blocking software can keep you honest, so you don’t pop over to ESPN and check the box scores when you should be poring over your team’s monthly metrics. Programs like Freedom and Net Nanny can help you break the habit by limiting access for certain sites to specific times of the day.

3 TAKE A TECHNOLOGY SABBATICAL. If you can get away with it, cut off an offending technology altogether for a while or make yourself available only at certain times. You might feel anxious the first couple of days, but you’ll settle into it. Taking a break proves you’re still in control.

4 STOP THE ALERTS. While I love my smartphone, some folks never seem to put theirs down. Not only is a good smartphone a telephone, it’s a personal digital assistant, a camera, a gaming platform, an email terminal, a texting device, a computer, and a TV. In many ways, a smartphone’s organizer aspects—especially calendaring and contact data—make these tech toys invaluable. If you find yourself addicted, though, turn off your notifications and alerts and put the phone on airplane mode while you focus on a project.

Even the most useful tool can become an enemy when it distracts you from your work, however subtly. Your best bet? Exercise iron discipline, simply refusing to use your tools in ways you never intended. Tools, no matter how high-tech, are made for you to use. Don’t let them take over your life and keep you from spending nontech time with your loved ones.

Social Media Landmines

Even something as simple as posting to Facebook or Twitter can hurt you. Every hiring manager has a story about someone who botched a job interview or torpedoed a career due to thoughtless use of social media sites. I know someone whose close friend lost his job after making negative comments about his company’s investment prospects on MySpace (remember that site?).

Few people think twice about posting party pictures on their Facebook pages or casual trash talk on Twitter. But your prospective employer or current company also has an online presence, and they may keep an eye on you—which isn’t tough when you voluntarily post content for the world to see. As your mother taught you, if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

As painful as accidentally harpooning yourself with an ill-judged post may be, wasting time is the real danger here, because it damages productivity. Even otherwise savvy social media users can fall prey to this problem. I use social media for professional reasons, and you may do so as well if, say, you’re a marketing exec, an HR manager recruiting people to your company, an entrepreneur reaching out to prospects, a job seeker networking for a new position, or a professional simply staying in touch with customers.

However, many business uses of social media aren’t work-related at all. The traditional work year clocks in at 2,080 hours, which is 260 work days annually. Suppose you spend only 10 minutes each workday tweeting or checking Facebook when you should be working. That comes to 2,600 minutes a year—the equivalent of 43 work hours—down the drain! If your manager deducted that at the end of the year, you’d have a week less paid time off.

Unless social media provides part of your income or your job requires you to monitor it, then it has a lousy return on investment. Even if you use it sensibly at work, it may still have a poor ROI. Do you know if the time you spend on social media yields high results?

You’d kick anything else with a bad ROI to the curb, so if your social media activities aren’t providing results, tune out, drop out, and refocus on what matters. Save Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for your nonwork time. Even then, take care what you post—because everyone’s on the Internet nowadays.