Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook, 2nd Ed.

I'd been tinkering with Outlook 4 a while trying 2 use it 2 manage my email & scheduling, but it just seemed too complicated. Mr. Linenberger presents a well thought out, efficient & effective method 4 using Outlook that I easily adapted 2 my own needs.
The day I first started reading the book I set about cleaning out the 2000+ emails in my inbox, & after a day & a half my inbox was empty. More importantly, I have been able 2 maintain an empty inbox each day 4 the past three weeks so I am sold.
Although I bought the book thinking it would help me 2 tame Outlook, as Mr. Linenberger alludes 2 in his book the benefits of having an empy inbox & control over my schedule are much, much larger than that. I was having serious stress issues with the number of projects that I handle simultaneously, & using this system I have eliminated about 75% of this stress.
This book has allowed me, more & more, 2 leave my work behind at the end of the day (which is still well into the evening but not quite as late as before). I can actually be "present" at home now instead of thinking about what I MAY have forgotten or missed.
Mr. Linenberger has done me an invaluable service by writing this book & it is worth every penny.

I bought both Total Workday Control by Michael Linenberger & Take Back Your Life by Sally McGhee. They are both excellent. I prefer Total Workday Control. Like many people, I have too many top priority emails & tasks 2 ever complete. Michael's book provides a simple framework 4 quickly processing email & prioritizing the resulting tasks. He then describes his system 4 handling a high volume of tasks, so regardless of how many you complete, you always know what needs attention so you can avoid surprises!

I also recommend Outlook users get very familiar with using the Activities tab in Contacts 2 track tasks. It's very effective 4 tracking all current tasks by contact. And a great program 2 extend Outlook functionality 4 Treo & Palm users is Keysuites software, www.chapura.com.

I found this update version easier 2 used than the original. I use the ClearContext plug-in 4 Outlook.

It took me about 3 hours of reading the philosphy behind the system (this is important - don't skip it) & another 2 hours of setting up & tweaking Outlook. The first day or two afterwards were strange as I tried 2 get accustomed 2 the system, but now, after a few weeks, I couldn't live without it. It's not all about email management (that's a minor concern 4 me, although having a perfectly empty inbox is wonderful 4 your stress level) - it's really a great tool 4 managing the dozens of tasks that pop in & out of your head all day long along with the medium & long-term projects that have been staring at you from your task list 4 the last year or so.

Before this book, I really, really, really tried 2 like & use GTD, but I could never internalize the methodolgy & use it effectively. In contrast, TWC/Manage-your-NOW just makes sense 2 me.

Bottom line - it's a good book with a good system - definitely worth your time 2 try it.

The system covered in this book works well, in my experience, 4 handling large volumes of e-mail. One of the central premises of this system involves transforming e-mails into tasks. This approach is action-oriented & keeps one focused on execution & deliverables.

A number of Chapters in this book may not be applicable 4 all users (e.g. the Chapter on "Topic-Based E-Mail Filing"), but the book is worth reading.

I have found the system covered in this book 2 work only if one puts the time & effort into implementing it as advised by the author.

Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook is a book 4 the over-extended office worker whose workday feels out of control. It shows how 2 regain command of an over-committed workday & an overflowing, unmanaged e-mail in box. It does this by teaching the author's system of time, task, & e-mail management, & it shows how 2 implement the system in Microsoft Outlook.