0816_TOEFL-Test-and-Score-Manual-1997

Time and Personal Management Ideas ● 231
GREAT
Appoint a Personal Information Officer
Many business owners suffer from information overload.
With so much to do, it’s difficult to keep up with
IDEA
all the blogs, books, magazines, and professional journals you know you should
be reading or at least skimming. One solution is to ask your assistant or another
staff person or freelancer to serve as your “personal information officer,” or PIO.
Your PIO benefits by being well informed, while you save time by
reading only the most pertinent material. Before a trip, I print out articles
to read on the bus, train, or plane.
First, decide which magazines, newspapers, and web sites provide
valuable information and insights for your particular business. I read the
Christian Science Monitor’s weekly edition to keep up with global news.
Subscribe to your industry’s top trade journal or e-newsletter. Bookmark
favorite web sites for easy access.
Set up Google Alerts to track news affecting your industry (and your own
company). Urge your PIO to be selective. While your PIO’s job is to update
your “To Read” file frequently, your job is to go through it at least once a week.
Every night, I try to read a few business magazines (Bloomberg Businessweek
and Entrepreneur) before relaxing with O Magazine, Country Living, or Self.
It’s easy to keep up with the news via podcasts from Bloomberg Radio
or National Public Radio. The New York Times daily e-news roundup is also
invaluable, even if you just scan the headlines.
I truly believe that a lack of information, not a lack of money, leads to
business failure.
GREAT
Plan “In” Days and “Out” Days
As my business flourished and life became more
IDEA
demanding, I really needed a way to structure my
weekly schedule.
I came up with this great idea when I was working out of my home
office in Sun Valley, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Because L.A.