Page 159 - Time Management

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Time Management
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• Install only the software you need. Every program
installed takes up valuable space and slows the perform-
ance of your computer. Most computers now come with
an assortment of programs already installed—many of
which you’ll never use. Remove programs you know
you’ll never use; if you can’t do this yourself, find some-
one who can. (This will leave room for a time-wasting
game or two, which you’ll have to resist at a later date.)
• Learn the basics of the programs you use frequently, but
don’t get caught up with features you don’t need.
Program designers are sometimes tempted to include fea-
tures in new products just because they can. Many of
these features are realistically useful only to a relative
handful of people, but the rest of us get to pay for them
anyway. They also exercise a kind of irresistible fascina-
tion for some people, who then spend hours exploring the
possibilities of a new program—or even an old one that
they suddenly discover can do things previously unrecog-
nized. Resist the temptation to become too expert in the
use of any program. There’s often a seductive self-decep-
tion involved in learning how to invent 600 new page bor-
ders that will do nothing to make you more productive or
save time.

Electronic Mail
Usually known as e-mail, this enormously convenient techno-
logical development has become both a blessing and a curse.
Anyone who’s ever taken a two-week vacation and returned to
find over 1,000 e-mails in the inbox understands the curse. The
blessing, of course, is near-instant communication.
In order to at least maintain a time-managing balance
between the advantages and the disadvantages of e-mail, here
are some ideas:
• Don’t use e-mail for situations that require a “loop” of
gives and takes. For example, trying to set up an appoint-