Business Essentials - What's in Your Office?

In this techno-savvy age, I am always surprised when I see a high-powered business person overwhelmed, running late and still using a regular cell phone. I'll admit that when I was presented with the idea of switching to a Blackberry (TM) a few years ago, I bucked it. I also bucked having a dual monitor on my computer and a laptop with a VPN (virtual personal network). I was so used to working one way and was very efficient, so why change? But I urge you to think differently. The use of these three items has virtually changed my life.

Business Essential #1: PDA (personal digital assistant).

When I used to use a regular cell phone, I was chained to my office. I was afraid to leave except for necessary appointments as I would miss an important email. That was until I got a Blackberry (TM), which I now call my office on the road. In my car, at the grocery, in my kitchen while I am cooking, I can send and receive email. Most PDAs also have the capability of allowing you access to your Contacts, Calendar and the internet. So it is in essence a mini computer. Often I hear people say that they don't want a PDA because they will never stop working or they will become a crack-berry. For me, using a PDA is quite the opposite. If I want to get out of the office, I grab my Blackberry and feel confident. It is a choice between being chained to your desk or being chained to your PDA. If you are a successful business person, being unavailable is not an option, so having the flexibility to be out of the office and out from behind your desk by using a PDA is not only liberating, it also keeps your stress level down as you don't return to work with a full inbox.

Business Essential #2: Dual Monitors.

Hook a second monitor up to your computer. I resisted this as well, but once I got the additional monitor and started using it, I was sold. Picture this. You are drafting a memorandum and need to do research on the internet in order to get material for your document. Do you want to keep minimizing and maximizing your screen or do you want to have the internet up on one screen and your draft memo up on the other? You can also cut and paste from one monitor right into the other! Here is another example. You are working in two Excel spreadsheets and you need to analyze one against the other. What did I used to do? Print one (or sometimes both), use a ruler and do my comparison. Now I just have them both up, side by side on the two screens and viola. Easy, quick, done.

Business Essential #3: Laptop with a VPN (virtual personal network).

Get a laptop and have a VPN installed. That way, you can work anywhere with it being just like you are at the office. In essence, you can access and work on anything at home that you can do at work. If I want to get a jump start on my week on Sunday evening, I can. If I need to be at home for a delivery, it's no big deal. It's all about options. When I travel with my laptop/VPN, I use a wireless card and a car charger. Driving home for 10 hours last year after vacationing with the family - guess what I did? Worked and caught up on all of the business I missed while I was gone. This accomplished three things. First, it kept me from being a "passenger seat driver" which made my husband very happy. Second, it allowed me to catch up so I wasn't stressed out upon my return on Monday morning; and third, it made those 10 hours fly by. These are the three business essentials I cannot live without. Now that you know about them, can you?

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