Tips for Getting Organized, Time Management, Technology. This Webzine views best with Microsoft Internet Explorer.


FOR BUSY PEOPLE


CLEAR - ORGANIZED - PRODUCTIVE - EFFICIENT

         

PEGGY
DUNCAN
Editor

JAN-MAR 2007            Subscribe >                 Archives >                             A FREE ZINE                                  Ask Peggy                     Training               My Web Site >

MISSION
To provide busy, worn-out, stressed-out people with information they can use to get things done.

CLICK!-Tip     

Turn on StickyKeys

StickyKeys is  a Windows XP feature this is designed for people who have difficulty holding down two or more keys at a time.

For example, when a shortcut requires a key combination such as CTRL+C for copy, StickyKeys will let you press one key at a time instead of having to press them simultaneously.

To turn on StickyKeys:

  1. Click the Shift key five times and read the instructions that pop up.

  2. Click Settings to explore different options.

Stop sending ugly blue email messages in Outlook

By default, Outlook 2003 is set to send email replies in blue ink, which is hard on the eyes.

To change the default to black:

  1. Click the Tools menu. Then Options, Mail Format tab, Fonts.
     

  2. Next to When replying and forwarding, click Choose Font, and change color to Black or Auto.

I cleaned out both my sent mail and my inbox THANKS TO YOU.  You are a fun and dynamic presenter and a great motivator.
Your warmth is infectious.

Maureen Beck, Vice President
Select Meeting Sites, Inc.
 

Did you know
that magnets will not wipe out data on more modern storage devices such as SD cards and flash drives.

 

WORD CHOICE-Tip Barbara McNichol www.barbaramcnichol.com

Annuals, perennials – When buying flowers for spring planting, remember that annuals last for one growing season (annual pertains to one year, like an annual picnic) while perennials have a life cycle that lasts more than two years.

I like to plant a variety of annuals every spring, but I think more carefully when I choose perennials because they last longer.


Anecdote, antidote
– Anecdote is a short account of an incident, a mini-story. Antidote is a remedy to counteract the effects of a condition (e.g., poison, disease, etc.).

Telling an anecdote that’s funny is an antidote for boredom.

 

One of my staff attended
MPI and specifically went to your session on my recommendation. 
She said it was the best session
of the conference! -JD

 

How Long Should
I Keep It?

Click Here
to learn how long you should keep certain files and papers. Then PURGE!

 

Turn Text on a
Page Into Digital Contacts.

The first time I selected text on a page and hit my hotkey, I couldn't believe it when anagram(TM) turned that text into a Contact in Outlook. You will use this technology every day to turn text on an electronic page into a digital contact (or calendar item, task, or note).

Download a free trial today!

 

 

 

TECH-Tip

Keep passwords private when using public machines
by Peggy Duncan


There is another threat to steal your personal information. A keylogger is a
computer program (or hardware that fits between the computer and the keyboard) that captures the keystrokes of a computer user and stores them. Modern keyloggers can store additional information, such as images of the user’s screen. All this information is sent to the source via email.

Keylogging is mostly a problem on public machines because you have no reliable way of knowing what has been established as protection (e.g., a firewall, email attachments that were downloaded, etc.).

According to Microsoft researchers, you can use the following method of logging in to public machines.

  1. Navigate to the desired login page.

  2. Type in your USERID as you normally would.

Use this new method of typing your password. You're going to type one character at a time, click off the password field, then type some random characters, then repeat the process until you've keyed in your full password.

  1. After you type each password character, click somewhere else on the screen (even if nothing looks selected, do it anyway because this takes the focus off the password field).

  2. Type some random characters.

  3. Now go back and type your next password character as you normally would.

  4. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you've typed all the characters in your password.

  5. Submit.

The string of characters that the keylogger receives will contain your password, but it will be embedded in so much random junk that its owner will not be able to figure out what it is. This trick works with all versions of Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, and Firefox.

On another note, some companies are experimenting with on-screen keyboards as a secure way to log-in so stay tuned (the Windows XP on-screen keyboard should not be used at this time).

For more information on this research conducted by Microsoft, click here. To find out if your computer is infected, download spyware detection software. Or find something that's free at one of my favorite Websites, snapfiles.com.

Stay safe.
_______

Peggy Duncan is a personal productivity expert. For more free tips, visit her Website at www.PeggyDuncan.com.

 

It's always great when someone masters a computer program in terms of accomplishing a given
task, as opposed to just learning
its features - and Peggy has done
that with Outlook. Her book is so
full of practical tips and techniques
that it makes learning the program (or improving your Outlook)
a pleasure.

Tom Bunzel, Columnist
(read review on www.informit.com)
 

Order any of my books right here on this Website.

Special Combo Price Limited Time Offer

Available Here

 

...After reading and using your ideas in Conquer Email Overload my inbox routinely stays at half a page or less. Your tips helped me super turbo charge my email productivity!
Thanks, Peggy!

 Jane Nowak
BellSouth Telecommunications

DOWNLOAD TEMPLATES TO GET
YOU ORGANIZED!
Click Here
 

Office Makeover
Peggy gets Anna Scott organized!

Click here for Before and After

Need Help Getting Organized? Check Out Our Filing System in a Box. We'll create your filing system and ship to you ready to use!
 

MY-Tip
Help for your organization, time management, and other challenges is right here. Let me know how I can help you too.


Peggy, I have a lot of high resolution jpegs I want to add to my Web site. I've put off doing anything with them because I dread resizing all of them. Is there a quick way to resize all the photos at one time? - Jay


I've discovered that just about anything I dread doing, there is some type of technology that will do it for me.

I found some free software that makes resizing photos quick and easy. It's called "Digital Photo Resizer" at icegiant.com. There are probably other products out there, but this is the one I found and like.

The software is intuitive in most cases, but I do want to point out the following.

  1. Input Image Folder. If your photos are on a CD/DVD, create a folder on your Desktop (or anywhere) and move the files there. You'll Browse to this folder when you start.
     

  2. Autoset Output Image Folders. If you want your images to stay with the folder you created, tick this box. If you don't, leave it unticked and Browse to find the folder you want to save the resized pictures to.

    It's not obvious, but your photos will be resized into the folder you specify, but they will land inside a subfolder named "out."
     

  3. Resize to. I usually put this at 25%. It gives me the perfect size for a Web-based photo gallery. You'll have to play with different sizes to find what works for you.

    When the software asks me if I want to see the resized photo, I click No because that's all I can do with it. I always go to PhotoShop to view the resized photos because I can get a better feel for the new size/pixels.
     

  4. Generate. Explore this feature for different options for your final output. I don't use this because I'm usually creating a photo gallery for a Website.

Finally, anytime you have a project you dread doing, look for a better, slicker way to do it. Find other free or inexpensive software downloads at snapfiles.com.
_______

Peggy Duncan is a personal productivity expert. For more free tips, visit her Website at www.PeggyDuncan.com.
 

Do you have an article for COPE? Click here to read our Writers Guidelines.

click here
SUBSCRIBE

To COPE TODAY!
It's free and
receive a free tips sheet

EVENTS & NEWS  

Training

PowerPoint All the Way

Computer Magic! Tips and Tricks

Manage Time with Outlook

Find Time to Lead

Get Organized at Work
Unclutter Your Mind

See
Peggy's Website for Dates and Details.

FREE to Meeting Planners, HR/Training Executives

Visit Peggy's Website for information about joining her  LIVE on the Web!  eSeminars on getting organized and conquering email overload with Outlook. You'll see everything Peggy does on her computer and talk by phone. Individual and group rates available. Private sessions also.

TeleCoaching Now Available. Want to work with Peggy one on one? She will coach you to a new life! Click here for details.

Are you addicted to email? Click here for help.

Peggy received a Distinguished Service Award from SCORE Atlanta. She was recognized for the work she does producing their highly successful conference series for small business owners and also for designing and maintaining their new Website.

 

Media Mentions
 

March - Miami Herald on Email Overload
 

Coming Soon - Black Enterprise Magazine, computer tips and strategies.

 

Get interviewed by the media and become a recognized expert in your field. Click here to find out how.

 


 

Products I've Hand-Picked
to Get You Organized!

 


Organize Your Desktop
with a StationMate


Click here

independently rotating binder carousel with four shelving tiers on mobile wheels
independently rotating binder carousel with four shelving tiers on mobile wheels

 

 
    Check out this Before and After with Peggy. Photos and explanations included.

BACK up

PAST ISSUES
 
      SUBSCRIBE  and Receive a FREE Tips Sheet  

(c) Copyright PSC Press. 2001-2007. All rights reserved. 
REPRINT
of the tips in this zine is granted in part or whole when the following credit appears in full: Reprinted with permission from Peggy Duncan's FREE Webzine, COPE. Subscribe to COPE by visiting www.PeggyDuncan.com.