In this newsletter:•Valerie’s tip: A typing shortcut tool that saves me hours each week
•Save time and m*oney - rent your books with Slim Ink
•How Excel can double your productivity
•Paul’s shortcuts: Word and Excel time savers
•Managing appointments
•BOOK recommendation: The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Productivity Plus, your weekly newsletter on how to get things done in less time.

One of the best time-saving tools I use is TextExpander (for Mac). On my Windows machine I use Active Words, which does exactly the same thing. I have to admit, I just can’t live without this tool. It’s a typing shortcut tool that saves me hours every week.

When you use a tool like TextExpander (or Active Words), you can assign short abbreviations for frequently used phrases or even several paragraphs.

For example, my address is something I type often every day. I simply assign a “hot word” to it and when I type that “hot word”, my full address appears. This will work whether I’m in a word document, filling in a form on the internet or composing an email. Similarly, I have a standard response to some emails. Instead of typing this out each time - or even cutting and pasting it from somewhere else - I simply type my “hot word” and the entire response appears immediately.

You can find TextExpander here and Active Words here.

Appointments and meetings can take a chunk out of your day. One strategy I started using a few months ago - which has made a world of difference - is to be proactive about proposing the time of the appointment.

Once you know that you are happy to have a meeting with someone, don’t say: "What time is good for you?"

Instead, be proactive and say: "I'm happy to meet with you. Can I propose 3pm on Wednesday the 29th of this month?"

This eliminates to and fro emails. It saves a lot of time and you get to pick a time that’s suitable for you!

We recommend:
Getting the most out of Outlook
Another big time-saving tool which is often overlooked is Outlook. This is so much more than an email application. And there are so many features that can help you save time. It can schedule tasks, keep track of multiple diaries, file your emails, coordinate meetings with colleagues, manage your contact information and create task requests for others to perform.

One-day course: Microsoft Outlook 2007
Date: Wednesday 5 November 2008
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Fee: $325 (includes GST)
You will receive a comprehensive take-home manual which is a handy reference for the future.

Click here for more information or to enrol.

This is such a simple shortcut but many people don’t know about it. When you want to delete an entire word, many people just use the backspace or delete key, pressing it several times until the word is deleted. Here’s a quicker way: when your cursor is at the end of the word you want to delete, simply type:

Excel is such a powerful tool and can be used for so many things at work (and play). Perhaps you're using it as a database for contact names, or you’re building a spreadsheet to keep track of some complex budgeting, or you want to be able to do some scenario modelling on it - where you can change a few variables to see what the different outcomes are going to be.

You probably know the basics of Excel but the idea of doing more complex spreadsheets can be a bit daunting. It doesn’t have to be.

When it comes to using software, Paul’s mantra is: “If it’s slow and tedious, then there MUST is a better way ... Not only will we show you the better way, we’ll teach you the fastest way to find it!”

 
Instead of wasting your time using Excel inefficiently, you can become an Excel expert. Paul’s students invariably leave the course amazed by the shortcuts they have learnt and are excited about how much time they will save.

Here’s what people say about Paul’s courses:
"Fantastic, covered everything I expected and more, in
a friendly and approachable manner."
- Sonia Kim

"Excellent presenter who had a good knowledge of the subject. Very patient and willing to answer all questions asked."
- Andrew Taylor

"Paul is the master of all things technology. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable, but he has the wonderful quality you want in a teacher - patience. He shares his expertise of Microsoft Office applications in a way that gives you confidence to go back to your office and use them like a pro. You have to attend one of his courses - if not all!"
- Catriona Pollard

We recommend:
One-day course: Microsoft Excel 2007 Advanced
Date: Wednesday 29 October 2008
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Fee: $325 (includes GST)
You will receive a comprehensive take-home manual which is a handy reference for the future.

Click here for more information or to enrol.

Here's a great idea that's convenient and a real money-saver. Well, it certainly is if you read a lot of books! Slim Ink is a book rental service based out of Queensland. I love Slim Ink because you simply browse the books online - just like a library. Then you pick the ones you like and, depending on your plan, the books are posted out to you. They come with prepaid satchel and bubble wrap so when you are finished you simply wrap them up and post them back. Then your next bunch of books arrive.

Some readers devour their favourite fiction authors, but I have used it mainly to read business books. It's also a great option for families with diverse tastes. One of the best things about Slim Ink is that the books come straight to your door and you can make your selection online. Slim Ink's founder, Marjorie, came up with this idea a few years ago and I think it's just brilliant!

www.slimink.com.au

Valerie’s recommendation:
The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss is a book that has taken the world by storm. It’s chock full of productivity tips and also has some confronting ideas about how you can ... design a four hour work week. Before you dismiss this as a gimmick (and yes, I don’t really think you can get to four hours - I mean really!), it’s still full of a lot of great ideas.

I spoke to Tim Ferriss when he was in Sydney a few months ago and this guy definitely lives and breathes his mantra. I’m already implementing many of his ideas. Although I have not achieved a four hour work week, these initiatives have definitely saved me time and money. You can read more about how I’ve roadtested his ideas here.

Or you can listen to my podcast with Tim on iTunes or on this website.