We’re often asked for a solution for organising passwords, logins, bank PINs, membership numbers, identification numbers, etc. etc.

We’ve all got loads of these to manage, and we’re way past being able to keep track of it all in our heads. Some people keep a written list or store the information in a computer file, but this is risky as others could easily access your private information.

You need a system that is secure and accessible anytime, anywhere.

The folks around here have used two applications quite happily:

Splash ID
1Password

Which to pick? Depends on your operating system and which handheld device you want to sync with, so have a read through the sites and go for the one that suits you better.

Both operate the same way: You just have to remember a master password, which unlocks the password vault on your desktop as well as on your handheld.

Like all important passwords, we recommend you don’t use anything easy for others to guess, and that you do change it frequently.

Both also integrate with your web browser to securely auto-fill login data to save you time.

Is it safe? They say it is, and I believe them. It’s your call. I’ve got a couple of critical passwords that are still stored only in my head – and my husband’s,  just in case.

System Set-up

These password managers are super easy to use, so we’d suggest you set aside just 1-2 hours to:

1. Make your selection
2. Download and install the software
3. Enter all your passwords, web logins, etc.
4. Sync with your handheld
5. Back up your data and test the backup
6. Get rid of all the other places where you were storing passwords (exception: keep your head)
7. Create a shortcut to the password manager on your Start Menu or Quick Launch Toolbar (PC) or in your Dock (Mac)
8. Pat yourself on the back for organising something really important

Maintenance

Establish a regular backup routine for the password manager so your updates remain safe, and set this recurring date in your reminder system. Monthly is probably a good cycle.

From now on, pop new passwords straight into your password manager the moment you set them up. No more ‘forgotten password’ requests!

Filed under: Info-Overload, Productive Routines, Protecting Your Stuff | 1 Comment »

Do you treat your email inbox as rolling, never-ending To-Do list?

We call this behaviour Inbox Surfing: skimming emails at the top of the Inbox repeatedly to decide what to work on next.

Inbox Surfers typically dip into the inbox to pull something off the top that seems fun, fast or has is suddenly become important. While they’re working on the latest arrival, more emails land in the inbox and important messages sink to the bottom of the bunch.

This keeps happening every day, and we tell ourselves that one weekend we’ll come into the office to sort through it ALL once and for all… but for most people, Later Never Comes. In the meantime, important tasks slip through the cracks, and we develop a scattered, inefficient approach to our daily work.

Intuitively many of us know that we could handle this better, but we wonder, “Does it really matter?” Well, only if you value your time and your sanity! Let’s look at what this way of working is costing you, some better approaches you can implement today, and the payoff you’ll enjoy when you make the change.

The Cost of Inbox Surfing

Inbox surfing costs you precious time and risks you dropping balls – for others and for yourself.

In a 2007 study, a group of Microsoft workers took, on average, 15 minutes to return to serious mental tasks, such as writing reports or computer code, after responding to incoming email. They strayed off to reply to other messages or browse web sites.

Don’t underestimate the power of creating email-free zones in your day. Consider this:

A 2004 study conducted by the University of London reported that both interruptions and the consequent task-switching caused by email take a heavy toll on workers, who tend to spend an average of only three minutes working on any one activity before switching to the others. The cost of this multi-tasking, trying to juggle new messages with existing work is, over a day, equivalent to the loss of a night’s sleep.

So our productivity and our mental capacity are impaired by this behaviour. I don’t know about you, but I want to have as much brain power as I can!

Simple Changes You Can Make Today

1. Each time you open your email, set a goal to remove as many messages from the inbox as possible. This doesn’t mean you’re going to do all the work first; it means you’ll shift your mindset from ‘doing email’ to ‘sorting email.’

2. Set up 5 folders in your email system:

• Do Today
• Do This Week
• Review on Friday
• Watching and Waiting
• Done

3. When you need to take action on an email, ask yourself 2 questions:

• What is the next action I need to take on this?
• When will I take that action?

4. If you want to do the task Today or This Week, move the email to the right folder. If the task can wait until next week or later, move it to the Review on Friday folder.

5. If you need to hold something because the next action is someone else’s, move the email to the Watching and Waiting folder.

6. If you don’t need to take action but want to keep the email, file it as you normally would or move it to the Done folder.

7. After you’ve sorted your email in this way, shift your attention to the To Do Today folder and starting working your way through it according to your priorities.

8. Finish each day with a review of what’s left in Do Today and Do This Week, and rearrange in preparation for the next day.

9. Find some time each Friday to look at the Review on Friday folder and plan time to work on those tasks the next week. Schedule time in your calendar for these actions. Also look at the Watching and Waiting folder to see if you need to nudge anyone to move things forward.

10. Repeat the steps above as frequently as you can, and watch the emails in your inbox disappear!

You can get a lot fancier than this if you want to power up your method of managing Tasks, but in the absence of anything else, why not give the approach above a try?

The Payoff for Working Differently

How will this help you? Let me count the ways…

1. You’ll have a clear picture of what you need to do on any given day.
2. You’ll have peace of mind that you have not let any important work get buried in the inbox.
3. You’ll visit the inbox less frequently, and with a greater sense of purpose.
4. You’ll think about each message really well the first time you receive it – instead of re-re-re-rereading messages every time you skim subject lines.
5. You’ll become more decisive and action-focused.
6. You’ll be carving out time for tasks that require deep, longer stretches of concentration.
7. You’ll achieve more of your goals and cross more things off your list!
8. You’ll stop interrupting your workflow to check email all day every day.
9. You’ll increase your ability to focus.
10. You’ll gain a sense of control in today’s chaotic workplace.

Ah…sounds good, doesn’t it? It’s yours for the taking.

Filed under: Email, Productive Routines, Time Management | 1 Comment »