Here are a few tips to help you implement the Focus Management Process
into your every day life to help you achieve greater results with less stress.

Blending Technology and Paper

Despite predictions of a paperless workplace, the need for paper continues. Even advanced Outlook®
users find there are times when viewing, accessing and/or managing information on paper is easier
and faster than electronically. And, unless you use a PDA/handheld device or have a laptop available
and powered up at all times, scheduling and other information managed in Outlook® remains back at
your desk.

Your Options
PDA/Handheld device: PDAs, with their ability to sync to Outlook®‚ solve the need to manually
transfer schedule, task and contact updates. With a PDA, you can beam information to other PDA
users. And PDAs are great for storing and quick retrieval of large contact lists. However, even PDA
users find there are limitations. The limited screen size and limited memory make it challenging to
store, view and use Word®, Excel®, and other imported documents. Project planning and Mind
Mapping® are difficult to do in a PDA. Commitments on the monthly view show up as dots only. To
view your commitments, you must open the Daily view making it difficult to see the big picture in
terms of time. And, unless you are adept at Graffiti, capturing voice mail messages in a handheld can
be a challenge.

Planner/Organizer: There are many brands and sizes of personal organizers on the market,
including the Time/Design System. One benefit of a traditional paper organizer is that you can easily
print Outlook® calendars, contact information and task lists onto punched paper for placement in
your binder. Organizational charts, project plans and other documents can also be printed and stored
in your organizer. And a personal organizer provides a place to write meeting notes, ideas, do Mind
Mapping® and keep shopping or other kinds of lists. You can also set up your personal organizer to
match your categories in Outlook®. Because you cannot sync your personal organizer with Outlook®
entries into schedules, tasks and contacts must be updated manually.

Blending Technology and Paper
The key is to find the blend of technology and paper that is right for you. Regardless of what
combination of tools you select, you will want to make sure you have a truly seamless system
capable of helping you to manage the myriad of commitments, communication and information in
your work and personal life.
As you determine how best to blend technology and paper, you will want to consider the following
criteria:

Is it centralized? Information jotted down on loose scraps of paper for later entry into your
computer or PDA can easily become lost. Having to hunt for that sticky note or scrap paper wastes
time. This kind of unnecessary scrambling is one of those stressful crisis management activities from
Quadrant 1 that you want to avoid. Centralizing information into one place solves this problem.
Is it portable? Whatever tool(s) you use must be portable. That way, when you’re home or traveling
and remember something you need to do back at work, you'll have a place to capture it. You'll also
have access to your schedule, commitments, contact and other and information when you’re away
from computer and have a place to put all of those great ideas!
Can it be easily customized? A lot of personal organizers have pre-designated sections for
budgeting/financing, goals, etc. The most flexible organizers are those that allow you to customize
the dividers to match your needs and not what the manufacturer presumes you need. Ideally, you
should be able to set up your personal organizer to match the categories you are using in Outlook® or
PDA.

Paper example

Technology example

Managing Information When Away From Outlook®

Blending Technology With Paper
If you spend the majority of your time at your computer, most commitments, communication
and information can be managed effectively using Outlook. But what about when you are at
meetings, appointments, traveling, home or otherwise away from your desk? What tool(s) do
you plan to use to stay on top of the following:

INFORMATION CHECKLIST
Here are some examples of the types of information, lists or notes that may be useful to have
accessible when you are away from your computer, office and/or home: