Please go to main blog page for the tidy desk competition.

I only recently started using Outlook for this purpose because I’d read about someone’s birthday on a blog and immediately enter it in Outlook so as not to forget.

When you enter people’s details in Outlook, remember to tick the box that says recurrence and then click yearly and no end date. Now your computer will remind you of that same date every single year. Isn’t it great?

You can set reminders as early as you need; if you like to live on the edge, you can be reminded a day or two before, or if you like more time, set it to one or two weeks.

And under labels, choose the correct category and it colour codes your reminders and makes them all pretty!

Of course, I still write phone Susan or email John on my daily to-do list

What kind of system do you use? Paper or electronic?

Suzanne! She is a whiz at Outlook – honestly, I stand amazed

I’ve just checked Google Reader and I see that Suzanne’s posted my favourite Outlook tip of all time.

Outlook… Not Just for Email! Using Your Outlook Calendar
By: Janet Barclay, MVA

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most widely used software programs for email, but if you’re only using it for email, you’re missing out on a great productivity tool! Here are a few ways you can use the Outlook calendar to make scheduling easier.

Add public holidays to your calendar automatically.

On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click Calendar Options.
Under Calendar Options, click Add Holidays. Select the check box next to each country/region whose holidays you want to add to your Calendar, and then click OK. Your own country/region is automatically selected.

Color code your appointments.

When you select a label for each appointment, Outlook will assign it a color, drawing attention to your most important activities and allowing you to see at a glance how you are spending your time. The default labels are as follows, but they can be customized to meet your needs.

Important – Red
Business – Blue
Personal – Light Green
Vacation – Gray
Must Attend – Orange
Travel Required – Aqua
Needs Preparation – Olive Green
Birthday – Purple
Anniversary – Dark Green
Phone Call – Yellow
None – White

Unfortunately, this feature is not available in earlier versions of Outlook.

Turn a message into an appointment or task.

What’s the quickest way to deal with an email inviting you to a meeting or event?

Drag the message onto your Calendar and a new appointment will be created. The entire message will appear in the details section – all you need to do is edit the subject line, location, date and time! Send an RSVP if necessary, and now you can delete the email!

Not sure if you’re going to attend? Set Show time as to Tentative and the appointment will display with a dashed border rather than a solid one. In this case you should also drag the message onto your Task Pad and a new task will be created. Edit the subject line to be a reminder to register for the event, and set the due date early enough that you won’t miss out if you decide to go.

Print pages for your paper planner.

If you like the idea of using the Outlook calendar, but are more comfortable using a paper planner, Outlook allows you to print pages in daily, weekly or monthly layouts, formatted to fit a variety of commercial planners. Print the whole year, or just today’s schedule!

It’s not just about work.

There are many websites that allow you to download schedules right into your Outlook calendar, including sports teams and TV stations, among many others. You’ll never have to miss your favorite team or show, and just think of the time you’ll save!

About the Author
Janet Barclay, Organized Assistant, offers a variety of professional quality services to support entrepreneurs and other individuals who are overwhelmed by the demands and technology of the 21st century. For further information or to request a subscription to her monthly ezine, The Organized Assistant Resource, please visit her website at www.organizedassistant.com.
Article Source: OrganizedArticles.com

Just thought I’d tell you about this, just in case you also didn’t know ( I learnt about this recently, just about 6 months ago).

When someone sends you an email and you want to add them to your Contacts, click the email, drag it to the Contacts button and release.

It will open as a contact and you then click the Save and close button. The nice thing is it keeps the email intact so that you can see what the person told you.

The original email remains in your Inbox for filing wherever you want it. You’re not storing emails in your inbox, now are you????

Take Charge tip
When I subscribe to sites with membership details, or I buy products with passwords and so on, I do this. It accomplishes two things:

1. Whitelists the address so I get the complete course
2. Saves all the password/ membership info

What did you think of this tip?