SuperCompetent: The Six Keys to Perform at Your Productive Best

Chapter 9. Savvy Scheduling Secrets

SUPERCOMPETENT Hero Thinking:	I schedule my day realistically according to my key activities.
SIMPLY COMPETENT Zero Thinking:	I reorganize my day to accommodate anyone who requests my time.

Most of us are willing to accommodate other people's needs.

Helping others is what makes us social beings, right? But it's possible to take this too far and wind up jerking yourself around according to other people's dictates. Then you can't get done what you need to get done—and that profits no one.

Take Control of Your Scheduling Online

Using software to maintain your schedule can be extremely effective. However, if you're not careful, it can turn into a real Schlimmbesserung for both you and everyone else involved. Try to keep the following 15 factors in mind when scheduling your day in Outlook, Lotus Notes, or a similar program.

1. As a courtesy to your coworkers, send a meeting invitation instead of an e-mail when you'd like to connect. Rather than e-mailing colleagues and asking, "What's your schedule like today? Can we get together for 30 minutes?" take a minute to schedule a meeting invitation. In Microsoft Outlook, start a new appointment in your Calendar and click the "Invite Attendees" button. Find an open time during their day (assuming you've been granted access to their calendars), or select AutoPick to let Outlook find the next available date/time. Then you can simply send the meeting request. When invitees receive it, they can click Accept or suggest ...