4 ways to take control of your e-mail Inbox

Do you have an effective way to process and organize your e-mail so that you can get to an empty Inbox on a routine basis? If you have lots of e-mail in your Inbox—we know people with as many as 7,000 messages—you might want to rethink your processing methods. Really, it is possible to empty your Inbox. The key is to evaluate how you are processing and organizing your e-mail and make some changes.

Here is a great article on the best practices that will allow you to more effectively deal with Outlook (and e-mail in general, whether you are on Yahoo! or Gmail).

I've been using this system, or a variation of it, for about 6 years now, and I can tell you that I go home every day with an empty Inbox.

Increase your productivity, while decreasing stress. Trust me, this process works. No longer do you have to let email manage you, you can manage it.

Related to this process, you must be using the Rules Wizard to help manage the incoming items. The power of that feature is almost endless.

Here is another great article on tips and tricks for using Outlook more effectively.

Outlook - The Unleashed Power

I found what I call a gem or maybe a diamond in the rough today...I have been looking for how to do this for years!!!

Thanks go to the blogger, Andrew Harcourt. He nailed it. If people are going to abuse e-mail, then stop letting them waste YOUR time.

http://www.codingforfunandprofit.com/2009/08/automatically-rejecting-appointments-in.html

There are always exceptions to the rule, so modify the script. I thought 24 hours or less was a little too restrictive in this "team player" world, so I notched it down to 15.

Anyway, once you process what this means, you are going to find some truly incredible things to do with it. Where have I been? Using VBA script to put time back into your day and stop letting e-mail manage you...it changes everything.

A Very Good Op/Ed on Healthcare Reform

Short and simple...
http://epaper.timesfreepress.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:ArticleToMail&Type=text/html&Path=ChatTFPress/2009/11/11&ID=Ar02401&Locale=

Yes, we need to reform the healthcare system and create a system that provides affordable health insurance for those that cannot afford it, but not for illegal aliens, those who choose not to have health care, and students who might be covered under another plan. The figure that the mainstream media (and some politicians) tout is waaaay overstated.

This is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate true bipartisanship and work on something that really matters. Instead we continue to avoid the real work that needs to be done and go for the PC things that just feed instant gratification like 'cash for clunkers'.

Spread the word and let's bring some common sense back to Washington.

Muslim Terrorist Sleeper Cells?

The incident at Fort Hood in Texas highlights the fact that we have people living amongst us in the US that are Muslim extremists and intend to inflict harm (and terror). I think it is a huge wake up call. Our troops are not safe at their own bases?

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/fort-hood-shooter-contact-al-qaeda-terrorists-officials/story?id=9030873

We should be outraged (and I know many are) and demand our leaders and this administration take action and make this a #1 priority to investigate and prosecute this individual. More importantly, interrogate him thoroughly.

I am disappointed how the media thinks Healthcare Reform and the CMA awards are the top stories.

Bottom line...it's a reality that we need to be vigilant and always aware of our surroundings. Our men and women serving this country were not safe at their own base? This should be a call to action and a reminder that the war on terror takes many forms and is fought on many levels.

See also: http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/01/22/top_stories/doc49781a64e0d2b381984861.txt

In Memory of Vivien Packard Thompson

In Memory of Vivien Packard Thompson

My dear grandmother, Tammy, passed away on Wednesday, October 21st. She was a very special person in my life. I have many fond memories of summers at her home in Danby, Vermont...picking raspberries and playing gin rummy. I will miss her very much.