Author: Michael Linenberger

Publisher: New Academy Publishers

Pub. in: January, 2006

ISBN: 0974930415

Pages: 290

Measurements: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches

Origin of product: USA

Order code: BA01254

Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0974930411

The author of this book has done a great job in collecting the best task and e-mail management fundamentals and putting them all together in one simple presentation. Some of these I have seen elsewhere (David Allen, Franklin Covey; the author quotes his sources), but the difference is that this book transfers theory into a real life implementation, in Microsoft Outlook. Most of the teachings are original. As a result of all this, I now really feel like I know how to manage my tasks, and how to react and manage correctly the tons of e-mail I get. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is by far the best time management book I have found.

For instance I, like many others, have tried to use the task system in Outlook to keep track of and prioritize tasks, but it just never worked for me and I gave up on it. But after this book, the task system in Outlook is my constant friend, keeping me pointed at doing just the right things at just the right time. The difference between then and now is that the book taught me step by step a few simple Outlook configuration tweaks, and underlying best task approaches, that for the first time made the Outlook task system really powerful for me. I use it constantly now and it really works.

Another example is e-mail filing. I kept starting and stopping e-mail filing, and never could keep up with the standard "drag to various folders" approach. But the system of using Outlook Categories taught in this book finally showed me a way to consistently file my mail. My Inbox is almost always empty now at the end of each day.

Outlook has so many features that I never knew which ones were important. This book showed me just the right ones to get my work day organized, and showed me which ones not to bother with. With relatively little effort I finally feel like I am using just the right amount of Outlook. In general this book leads to a huge positive difference in the usability of Outlook.

(From quoting Sam May, USA)