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	<title>GigaOM &#187; scheduling</title>
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		<title>GigaOM &#187; scheduling</title>
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		<title>Buffer bucks the startup secrecy trend as it finds growth</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2012/11/06/buffer-bucks-the-startup-secrecy-trend-as-it-finds-growth/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2012/11/06/buffer-bucks-the-startup-secrecy-trend-as-it-finds-growth/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:40:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Eliza Kern</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buffer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leo Widrich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gigaom.com/?p=581397</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It might be a marketing tactic, but it's certainly a refreshing one: Buffer, the app best known for scheduling your tweets and Facebook status updates, candidly explains how they've been profitable so far and why they aren't necessarily looking for more fundraising right now.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=581397&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s all too common to see news of companies raising several million in funding without any details from the founders on what they&#8217;ll do with the funding or how many users they&#8217;ve actually acquired on their service. <a href="http://bufferapp.com/" target="_blank">Buffer</a>, the app best known for allowing you to schedule your tweets in advance, <a href="http://gigaom.com/2011/12/20/buffer-funding/" target="_blank">turned the model on its head last year by explaining</a> just how it courted investors and <a href="http://blog.bufferapp.com/the-17-awesome-investors-in-our-400000-seed-round-and-how-we-met-them" target="_blank">secured $400,000 in seed funding</a>, and now it&#8217;s continuing that tactic of disclosure as it grows.</p>
<p>Even if it&#8217;s just a clever marketing tactic <a href="http://blog.bufferapp.com/5-key-lessons-we-learned-from-pivoting-our-blog" target="_blank">from a company that couldn&#8217;t get press coverage otherwise</a>, the story of Buffer&#8217;s funding round was an interesting explanation of a process that doesn&#8217;t often get aired in public and a refreshingly candid approach to announcing the news. So it should come as no surprise that the company has been equally candid about their successes and progress so far in building their company, an approach that other startups might do well to consider. The company now sees users posting more than 1 million updates through Buffer to social media each week, and they&#8217;re open about how they got there.</p>
<p>Buffer automates a process that can be laborious for people &#8212; such as publishers &#8212; who have to distribute a lot of content over social media networks. But the company also targets people who consume lots of content on Pocket, Reeder or Instapaper (which all have Buffer integration), and want to share what they&#8217;re reading in manageable doses, rather than several tweets all at once.</p>
<p><a href="http://gigaom.com/2012/11/06/buffer-bucks-the-startup-secrecy-trend-as-it-finds-growth/screen-shot-2012-11-06-at-12-41-27-pm/" rel="attachment wp-att-581450"><img  title="Buffer Twitter scheduling integration screenshot" alt="Buffer Twitter scheduling integration screenshot" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screen-shot-2012-11-06-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=300&#038;h=219" height="219" width="300" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-581450" /></a>In December 2011, when the company announced its seed funding, it had about 85,000 users and <a href="http://gigaom.com/2011/12/20/buffer-funding/" target="_blank">were making $20,000 a month in revenue</a>. While individual Buffer accounts are free, the company offers premium, or <a href="http://bufferapp.com/awesome" target="_blank">&#8220;awesome&#8221;</a> subscriptions for $10 a month for companies looking for several people to manage multiple accounts and send more updates. As of November 2012, <a href="http://bufferapp.com/about/team" target="_blank">co-founder Leo Widrich</a> said the company is now making about $70,000 a month in revenue, and hasn&#8217;t needed to touch its seed money yet. It has about 370,000 users, with about 6,500 of those users paying for the premium subscription.</p>
<p>&#8220;It took us around six months to send the first 100,000 updates and now we’re sending 1 million updates a week,&#8221; he said, noting the breakdown of the posts are about 65 percent to Twitter, 20 percent to Facebook, 10 percent LinkedIn, and about 5 percent to App.net, even though many people know Buffer as an app for scheduling tweets. He said that going forward, the company is going to work to improve its native mobile apps and increase the amount of Buffer updates to Facebook, since that platforms tends to drive the most engagement with content.</p>
<p>And as for more fundraising? Don&#8217;t expect the Buffer founders to be knocking on VC doors any time soon. Widrich said they&#8217;ve calculated that they could grow their team from seven to 25 employees and still have seed funding in the bank, since they&#8217;re profitable each month from their subscription plan and seeing revenues increase by about 20 percent month to month. He said the team isn&#8217;t looking to fundraise further right now, since the process of fundraising is so labor and time-intensive. He pointed out that they spoke to about 150 investors when looking to raise a seed round, and ended up doing deals with 19 of them.</p>
<p>&#8220;The biggest thing I would say is that fundraising is a huge distraction. You can’t work on the product or helping you as a user if you’re also working to get money from investors,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There’s this saying that when you’re fundraising, you can’t do anything else. Every day, for three or four months, you fundraise. And it’s crazy, right?&#8221;</p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=581397&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=78932"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=78932" /></a></p><p><strong>Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:</strong><br />Subscriber content. <a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=581397+buffer-bucks-the-startup-secrecy-trend-as-it-finds-growth&utm_content=elizakern">Sign up for a free trial</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/report/survey-how-apps-can-solve-photo-management/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=581397+buffer-bucks-the-startup-secrecy-trend-as-it-finds-growth&utm_content=elizakern">Survey: How apps can solve photo management</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/report/sector-roadmap-social-customer-service-in-2013/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=581397+buffer-bucks-the-startup-secrecy-trend-as-it-finds-growth&utm_content=elizakern">Sector RoadMap: Social customer service in 2013</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/report/sector-roadmap-content-personalization-in-2013/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=581397+buffer-bucks-the-startup-secrecy-trend-as-it-finds-growth&utm_content=elizakern">Sector RoadMap: Content personalization in 2013</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>13</slash:comments>
	
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			<media:title type="html">Buffer Twitter scheduling screenshot</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">elizakern</media:title>
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		<media:content url="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screen-shot-2012-11-06-at-12-41-27-pm.png?w=300" medium="image">
			<media:title type="html">Buffer Twitter scheduling integration screenshot</media:title>
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		<title>10 tips for respectful &#8212; and effective &#8212; shared calendaring</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2011/08/22/10-tips-for-respectful-and-effective-shared-calendaring/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2011/08/22/10-tips-for-respectful-and-effective-shared-calendaring/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Terri Griffith</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[calendar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meeting scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meetings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plan meetings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling app]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling tip]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shared calendars]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gigaom.com/?p=390639</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[More than email and even shared documents, shared calendars can feel a bit intrusive. These 10 tips will help you make sure your coworkers respect your time when they schedule you for meetings, and they may even make those meetings more efficient.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=390639&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Shared calendars, like <a href="http://gigaom.com/collaboration/5-steps-for-effective-real-time-document-collaboration/">shared documents</a>, push our boundaries in the workplace. Shared calendars let other people see and touch our time in ways that have limited equivalents. Having a staff member, usually an assistant, manage your calendar used to be a status signal and implied that your time was important. But shared calendars instead open your time to the world &#8212; a huge benefit for our evermore collaborative work. Unless they are effectively managed, however, they can be a major drain on our time.</p>
<p>My 10 tips cover three important dimensions: Technology settings and strategies, our developing calendaring etiquette and norms, and broader organizational practices.</p>
<p><a href="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/tunglemescreen.jpg"><img src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/tunglemescreen.jpg?w=708" alt="My Tungle.me screen" title="Tunglemescreen"    class="alignright size-full wp-image-390887" /></a></p>
<h2>Technology settings and strategies</h2>
<p>1. <strong>Set up appointment slots.</strong> Many systems (I’m most familar with <a href="http://www.tungle.me">Tungle.me</a> and <a href="http://calendar.google.com">Google Calendar</a>) let you choose the times others can book you.<br />
2. <strong>Make your wishes known.</strong> Many systems let you add comments on the page where people would schedule you, so use those comments to share your preferences for scheduling meetings. On my scheduling page I ask that people request at least three options, across multiple days.<br />
3. <strong>Set your default meeting time to a smaller increment.</strong> <a href="http://distractedenterprise.com/index.php/4-facts-about-shared-calendars-that-will-change-the-way-you-schedule-appointments/">This great tip</a> comes from <a href="http://www.thursdaybram.com/">Thursday Bram</a>. I just changed my default meeting time to 15 minutes. She also challenges us to:<br />
4. <strong>Schedule your own time so you can get some work done.</strong> My own technique is to schedule my required events (with prep, travel, and assimilation time added on), block time for work, and then negotiate the shared aspect of my calendar. You may not have that kind of control, but as you’ll see in the the organizational practices category of tips, you won’t have this kind of control unless you ask.<br />
5. <strong>Check the other person&#8217;s schedule first.</strong> Before asking someone if you can book some time (see next tip below), search the system for times that might work. You’ll get an better idea of the how busy the person is and be ready to book using their technology of choice.</p>
<h2>Etiquette and norms</h2>
<p>6. <strong>Get an OK <em>before</em> you set the meeting.</strong> Don’t book someone else without prior correspondence, unless it is standard operating practice, or the person’s scheduling page says you can.<br />
7. <strong>Offer multiple options.</strong> If your calendar system allows it, suggest a few different meeting times, spread across multiple days &#8212; you never know where the person will be and whether or not they’ll have access to a computer, good wifi, or whatever else the event might need.<br />
8. <strong>Don’t schedule back-to-back events.</strong> The person will be more likely to be on time and have your agenda in mind if you give them some breathing room. Try and schedule for an “odd” time so others are less likely to schedule immediately before or after your meeting.</p>
<h2>Organizational practices</h2>
<p>9. <strong>Talk about calendering and meeting ideals.</strong> Come to agreement around norms for booking each other, how personal time can be blocked, and assumptions about meetings. Agree on when it’s <a href="http://www.managementexchange.com/hack/meeting-consensus">ok to say no to a meeting</a>.<br />
10. <strong>Enlist IT&#8217;s help.</strong> See if your information technology gurus can adjust the calendaring system to defaults of 15, 25, or 55 minutes, to help shorten meetings (or at least allow 5 minutes&#8217; breathing room between them). If this isn’t a standard setting, see if IT can ask the vendor to implement it as a new feature.</p>
<p>Certainly, we’ve had shared calendars inside organizations for years. That doesn’t mean we’ve done calendaring well or that we’re prepared for public calendar sharing.</p>
<p><em>Would be great to know how these tips have worked out for you. Please share other tips you’ve found to be valuable.</em></p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=390639&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=340911"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=340911" /></a></p><p><strong>Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:</strong><br />Subscriber content. <a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=390639+10-tips-for-respectful-and-effective-shared-calendaring&utm_content=terrilgriffith">Sign up for a free trial</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2012/02/practical-business-content-collaboration-personal-tools-show-the-way/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=390639+10-tips-for-respectful-and-effective-shared-calendaring&utm_content=terrilgriffith">Personal tools lead to practical business</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2011/07/millenials-in-the-enterprise-part-1-strategies-for-supporting-the-new-digital-workforce/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=390639+10-tips-for-respectful-and-effective-shared-calendaring&utm_content=terrilgriffith">Millennials in the enterprise, part 1: strategies for supporting the new digital workforce</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2011/02/a-2011-newnet-forecast/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=390639+10-tips-for-respectful-and-effective-shared-calendaring&utm_content=terrilgriffith">A 2011 NewNet Forecast</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Scheduling Tool Tom&#8217;s Planner Now iPad and iPhone Compatible</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2011/04/21/scheduling-tool-toms-planner-now-ipad-iphone-compatible/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2011/04/21/scheduling-tool-toms-planner-now-ipad-iphone-compatible/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:26:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Simon Mackie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[@NYT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Collaboration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gantt charts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[project management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tom's planner]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gigaom.com/?p=333532</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Tom's Planner, a simple drag-and-drop, Gantt-chart-based, online planning tool has received a couple of useful updates: the website is now compatible with the iPad and iPhone (no app required), and it can also now import Excel and MS Project files.<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=333532&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.tomsplanner.com/">Tom&#8217;s Planner</a>, a <a href="http://gigaom.com/collaboration/wwd-screencast-tour-toms-planner/">simple drag-and-drop, Gantt-chart-based, online planning tool</a> has received a couple of useful updates. It&#8217;s now compatible with the iPad and iPhone, and can also import Excel and MS Project files.</p>
<p><a href="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/photo-1.jpg"><img  title="photo-1" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/photo-1.jpg?w=708" alt=""   class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-334321" /></a></p>
<p>To use Tom&#8217;s Planner on an iOS device, no app is required; just load up the Tom&#8217;s Planner website in mobile Safari. Tasks can be scheduled by dragging and dropping on the chart, while accessing the context menu items is achieved by a &#8220;long click&#8221; (tapping and holding for longer than a second). I&#8217;ve tried it out on my iPhone and it works pretty well, although the small screen makes it quite fiddly, and the long click does take a bit of getting used to. I&#8217;m sure it&#8217;s much easier to use in the iPad&#8217;s larger screen, though. Android support is apparently also in the works.</p>
<p><a href="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/screen-shot-2011-04-20-at-17-41-09.jpg"><img  title="Screen shot 2011-04-20 at 17.41.09" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/screen-shot-2011-04-20-at-17-41-09.jpg?w=708" alt=""   class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-333545" /></a></p>
<p>The ability to import Excel and MS Project files should be useful for teams who aren&#8217;t starting a project from scratch, and could be especially handy for users who occasionally get emailed a Project file but don&#8217;t have it installed themselves.</p>
<p>Despite facing some serious competition in the simple online collaborative planning tools market from the likes of <a href="http://www.ganttic.com/">Ganttic</a> (<a href="http://gigaom.com/collaboration/planning-tool-ganttic-now-much-easier-to-use/">reviewed here</a>) and <a href="http://www.microproject.com/">Microproject</a> (<a href="http://gigaom.com/collaboration/microproject-simple-smart-project-management/">reviewed here</a>), Tom&#8217;s Planner is still my favorite. While it doesn&#8217;t have all the advanced features offered by its competitors, it&#8217;s well-designed and simple, which makes it really easy to use, even for complete project management novices.</p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=333532&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=664594"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=664594" /></a></p><p><strong>Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:</strong><br />Subscriber content. <a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=333532+scheduling-tool-toms-planner-now-ipad-iphone-compatible&utm_content=simonmackie">Sign up for a free trial</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2011/07/millenials-in-the-enterprise-part-1-strategies-for-supporting-the-new-digital-workforce/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=333532+scheduling-tool-toms-planner-now-ipad-iphone-compatible&utm_content=simonmackie">Millennials in the enterprise, part 1: strategies for supporting the new digital workforce</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2009/05/social-media-in-the-enterprise/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=333532+scheduling-tool-toms-planner-now-ipad-iphone-compatible&utm_content=simonmackie">Social Media in the Enterprise</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/report/social-networks-will-displace-business-processes-not-socialize-them/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=333532+scheduling-tool-toms-planner-now-ipad-iphone-compatible&utm_content=simonmackie">Social networks will displace business processes, not socialize them</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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			<media:title type="html">simonmackie</media:title>
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		<title>5 Common Collaborative Scheduling Faux Pas</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2010/11/23/five-common-collaborative-scheduling-faux-pas/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2010/11/23/five-common-collaborative-scheduling-faux-pas/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:00:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Georgina Laidlaw</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How-To]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[calendars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Collaboration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gigaom.com/?p=262700</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I've heard mounting complaints about the Google-centric focus of web workers from those using other scheduling tools, but the fact is that the plethora of tools designed to make scheduling easy can actually make it more difficult. Are you guilty of these scheduling faux pas?<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=262700&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-262702" href="http://gigaom.com/collaboration/five-common-collaborative-scheduling-faux-pas/570617_dry_erase_board_1/"><img title="570617_dry_erase_board_1" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/570617_dry_erase_board_1.jpg?w=708" alt=""   class="alignright size-full wp-image-262702"></a>Increasingly, my contacts seem to be turning to web-based calendars for maintaining their schedule. Those who work predominantly in the online environment, that is. The others still tend to use Outlook, iCal and physical diaries.</p>
<p>I’ve heard mounting complaints about the Google-centric focus of web workers from those using other scheduling tools, but the fact is that the plethora of tools designed to make scheduling easy can actually make it more difficult if basic scheduling etiquette isn’t adhered to. Are you guilty of these scheduling faux pas?</p>
<h3>1. Assuming your contacts use your calendar of choice.</h3>
<p>Before you start setting meetings in your calendar and using its invitation function to invite others, make sure that the invitations will display correctly for users who aren’t using your calendar of choice.</p>
<p>When I send Google Calendar invitations to some of my contacts, the emails they receive contain no information. Many email users are stuck with clients that can render your invitation emails unusable, if not unreadable. Many calendar tools are flaky, at best, when it comes to reliably displaying in all email clients.</p>
<p>If you’re not sure what calendar tool your contact uses, IM them or send them a quick email ahead of the invitation, so that they know your invitation is coming and can let you know if it doesn’t display properly for them.</p>
<h3>2. Giving contacts access to your calendar without forewarning them.</h3>
<p>A couple of months ago, I received an email from a contact using Google Calendar to alert me to the fact that I’d been given access to a particular calendar of theirs. The calendar was related to their work, but not directly related to the work I was doing for them.</p>
<p>Why had they given me access? I had no idea. I expected I’d soon receive an email explaining the situation … but I didn’t. I resolved to ask the contact next time I saw then, but forgot. More than two months have passed and I still don’t know why I have access to this calendar. Was it a mistake? Was I supposed to do something with this information? Don’t leave your contacts wondering what in heck you’re doing when you share your calendar with them.</p>
<p>Before you give contacts calendar access, send them a courtesy email to tell them what you’re doing, and why. Ask if they know how to use shared calendars. And after you’ve given them access, check back with them to make sure they know what they’re supposed to do with the information you’re giving them.</p>
<h3>3. Inviting contacts to a meeting without explanation.</h3>
<p>In my experience, Outlook users seem to be better at explaining in the invitation why the meeting’s been called than do the contacts I have who use web-based calendars. Perhaps the reason is that Outlook’s often used by big corporates, which have clear expectations of communication, where web-based tools tend to be used more commonly in the disparate world of remote workers, startups and small web operations.</p>
<p>I constantly receive invitations to meetings without any explanation. If I don’t know any more about the meeting than what you’ve called it in your calendar, then how will I know if it’s important I attend? How will I know how to prepare for the meeting?</p>
<p>It’s basic courtesy to tell people who’s time you require exactly why you need it. This can help them prioritize their commitments, and it shows you respect their time, which is always beneficial in building strong working relationships.</p>
<h3>4. Moving a meeting without explanation.</h3>
<p>If you schedule a meeting at the wrong time by accident, or need to move it, make sure you explain that in the updated invitation. Fail to do so, and confusion is guaranteed.</p>
<p>Recently, a meeting I’d agreed to attend was rescheduled without explanation. The new time was inconvenient, but I had no idea whether I should reschedule my other commitments, because the rescheduled time was the only one that a key team member could make, or whether this was a reshuffle that had a degree of flexibility to it. Perhaps it had been moved erroneously, as a mere slip of the finger as my contact moused over their calendar. Who knew? More emailing and IMing ensued as I tried to sort out the finer details.</p>
<p>Make sure you give contacts as much information as you can when you need to reschedule a meeting, so they can let you know as soon as possible if they can make the new time, or if other commitments must take priority. the more information you give, the more swiftly you’ll be able to arrive at a mutually acceptable time.</p>
<h3>5. Rescheduling a meeting without deleting the original time from contacts’ schedules.</h3>
<p>I currently have a single meeting scheduled at three different points in my calendar. The contact who arranged this meeting has had to reschedule it a number of times. But he doesn’t include any information about the new meeting times in his emails, and he doesn’t delete the previously-arranged meetings from contact’s calendars (even if he did, that functionality may not work for all scheduling tools).</p>
<p>Which time is the right one? The most recent one? Your guess is as good as mine. Whatever the case, it certainly makes scheduling my other work difficult. If you don’t trust your calendar’s ability to delete a previously scheduled meeting from a contact’s calendar, email them and confirm that you need to shift the meeting.</p>
<h3>Better Collaborative Scheduling</h3>
<p>It might hurt to accept it, but in some cases, reverting to the good old group email might wind up being the quickest, least frustrating way to schedule meetings.</p>
<p>In most cases where you’re coordinating meeting times with others who don’t work in your organization, or using the same tool, your electronic calendar probably needs to be supported by courtesy emails if it is to actually save you time and make diary management more efficient.</p>
<p>In all cases, include as much information as you can with the invitation: an agenda, an explanation of why you need the invitee to attend, an alternative time if there are few invitees, and you have some flexibility around when the meeting takes place, and so on.</p>
<p><em>Do you have any collaborative scheduling horror stories? Which tools do you use?</em></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/570617">Image</a> by <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/">stock.xchng</a> user <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/profile/tome213">tome123</a>.</em></p>
<p><strong>Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub. req.):</strong><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2010/09/how-to-manage-consumer-grade-collaborative-tools-in-the-workplace/?utm_source=tech&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_content=georginalaidlaw&amp;utm_campaign=intext&amp;utm_term=262700+five-common-collaborative-scheduling-faux-pas"><br></a></p>
<ul><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2010/11/social-inbox-vs-the-future-of-email/?utm_source=tech&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_content=georginalaidlaw&amp;utm_campaign=intext&amp;utm_term=262700+five-common-collaborative-scheduling-faux-pas">Social Inbox Vs. the Future o﻿f Email</a></li>
<li><a id="vav4" title="Email: The Reports of My Death are Greatly Exaggerated" href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2009/04/email-the-reports-of-my-death-are-greatly-exaggerated/?utm_source=tech&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_content=georginalaidlaw&amp;utm_campaign=intext&amp;utm_term=262700+five-common-collaborative-scheduling-faux-pas">Email: The Reports of My Death are Greatly ﻿Exaggerated</a></li>
<li><a title="Report: The Real-Time Enterprise" href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2010/01/report-the-real-time-enterprise/?utm_source=tech&amp;utm_medium=editorial&amp;utm_content=georginalaidlaw&amp;utm_campaign=intext&amp;utm_term=262700+five-common-collaborative-scheduling-faux-pas">Report: The Real-Time Enterprise</a></li>
</ul><p><em><br></em></p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=262700&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=865710"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=865710" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
	
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			<media:title type="html">570617_dry_erase_board_1</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">Georgina Laidlaw</media:title>
		</media:content>

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		<title>12 Ways to Find More Time</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2010/03/24/12-ways-to-find-more-time/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2010/03/24/12-ways-to-find-more-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:00:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Meryl K Evans</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web working]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webworkerdaily.com/?p=30330</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The return of daylight savings time often brings with it a flurry of complaints about losing something web workers treasure most: time. Here are twelve ways to claw some if it back:<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=30330&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/treasure_chest.jpg"><img  title="Treasure chest" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/treasure_chest.jpg?w=300&#038;h=224" alt="" width="300" height="224" class=" alignleft" /></a>The return of daylight savings time often brings with it a flurry of complaints about losing something web workers treasure most: time. Here are twelve ways to claw some if it back:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Control your phone time</strong>. Web workers tend to have  an&#8221;open door&#8221; phone policy. For example, when a relative calls, my husband takes the call only to fall into the trap of the person going on and on. I suggested he find a nice way to end the call. Some fear sounding rude in cutting a call short, but you can do it politely. Pick a couple of friendly phrases to use to end a call when it has served its purpose. Try: &#8220;I hate to cut this short, but I need to prepare for a meeting. It was great catching up with you.&#8221;</li>
<li><strong>Use the Internet with purpose</strong>. I&#8217;m guilty of surfing aimlessly on the Internet or not <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/01/13/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-social-media-time/">making the most of social media time</a>. With practice and mindfulness, I&#8217;ve cut this wasteful time &#8212; not completely, but good enough. Accept that it&#8217;s OK to <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/02/04/couldnt-tweet-today-dont-beat-yourself-up-over-it/">skip social media</a> when you&#8217;re too busy, and read Celine&#8217;s methods to <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/06/25/how-to-eliminate-compulsive-internet-fiddling/">end compulsive Internet fiddling</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Manage your after-hours time</strong>. Stay in control of your schedule by being proactive with your after-hours time. There are some ideas in &#8220;<a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/03/18/how-to-stop-clients-from-invading-your-after-hours-time/">How to Stop Clients from Invading Your After-Hours Time</a>.&#8221;</li>
<li><strong>Change direction when procrastinating or distracted</strong>. We all have moments when we can&#8217;t complete tasks because we just can&#8217;t get into it. The reason could be tiredness, <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/10/14/17-ways-to-kill-common-distractions/">distractions</a> or something else. Rather than dwell on the task, go do something else. Here are tips for <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/10/05/tips-from-the-trenches-fending-off-procrastination/">fending off procrastination</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Review your meetings</strong>. Have you been attending the same weekly meetings for months or even years? Are these meetings really needed? Regularly scheduled meetings can lose value. Ask for an agenda when people request your attendance. This gently reminds them to create an agenda, if they don&#8217;t have one. If they still don&#8217;t provide one, explain that you need to prepare yourself for the meeting and an agenda helps. Check out Imran&#8217;s tips on <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/02/09/work-hacks-how-to-run-meetings-google-style/">running effective meetings</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Hold conversations at a better time</strong>. Having a conversations that&#8217;s going in a circle with no new information? That&#8217;s the time to put the brakes on the conversation and follow up later.</li>
<li><strong>Save time in your calendar</strong>. If you need to work on a project uninterrupted, put it in your calendar. This way you can easily say, &#8220;I&#8217;ve already got something scheduled at that time.&#8221; It makes it easier to say no. If you need to spend time with the family, add that, too.</li>
<li><strong>Outsource or delegate</strong>. Can you delegate some of your work? <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/02/04/outsource-your-personal-chores-and-errands/">Outsource personal chores and errands</a>? Amber provides <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/03/04/delegation-in-action/">delegation tips</a>.</li>
<li><strong>End commitments</strong>. I used to join Twitter chats three nights a week on a regular basis, but stopped when my eyes ached. I also switched from being a regular player in time-consuming tennis matches away from home to substituting. Maybe it&#8217;s time to step down from a nonprofit board position, or to <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/03/22/take-back-your-time-by-ditching-bad-clients/">ditch some bad clients</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Be mindful about television time</strong>. Like surfing the Internet, it&#8217;s easy to waste away time flipping through channels during work breaks and after-hours. For years, I&#8217;ve recorded select TV programs and watched them at a convenient time such as while folding laundry, exercising and on a lunch break. Also, when a show bores me for too many episodes, I quit watching it.</li>
<li><strong>Carry a book with you</strong>. I always have a book in my car or bag to prepare for unexpected idle time. Having a book with me at all times ensures I don&#8217;t waste free time by grabbing some reading time.</li>
<li><strong>Manage in-person interruptions</strong>. This might not be so much or a problem for some web workers. However, those working in <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/03/30/coworking-101-a-brief-history/">coworking</a> centers, and those working from offices in family homes, might find their time invaded by people desiring a friendly chat. Have some phrases ready to rescue you from unexpected visitors. Try: &#8220;I hate to cut our visit short, but I am about to enter an online webinar. Thanks for stopping by.&#8221; Home office workers&#8217; interruptions might include significant others, children and others living in their home. Check out my tips for <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/09/04/surviving-after-school-time-meet-deadlines-and-keep-your-kids-happy/">meeting deadlines while keeping your kids happy</a>.</li>
</ol>
<p><em>How can you find more time in your day for things that matter?</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1005464">Photo</a> by <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/profile/krilm">stock.xchng user Kristian Stokholm</a></p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=30330&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=644270"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=644270" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>27</slash:comments>
	

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			<media:title type="html">meryldotnet</media:title>
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			<media:title type="html">Treasure chest</media:title>
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		<title>How to Stop Clients from Invading Your After-Hours Time</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2010/03/18/how-to-stop-clients-from-invading-your-after-hours-time/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2010/03/18/how-to-stop-clients-from-invading-your-after-hours-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:00:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Meryl K Evans</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[How-To]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[time management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web working]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webworkerdaily.com/?p=30082</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It's Friday afternoon. You clean up and get ready for respite. Surprise, surprise ... within an hour of checking out for the weekend, a phone call comes in. What do you do? Ignore the call? Pick it up?<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=30082&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/hidden_tank.jpg"><img  title="Photo of tank in tall grass" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/hidden_tank.jpg?w=300&#038;h=241" alt="" width="300" height="241" class=" alignleft" /></a>It&#8217;s Friday afternoon. You clean up and get ready for respite. Surprise, surprise &#8230; within an hour of checking out for the weekend, a phone call comes in. What do you do? Ignore the call? Pick it up? As a web worker who can work anywhere, any time, is it possible to <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/02/06/mark-the-end-of-the-day-and-finish-on-time/">mark the end of the day</a>?</p>
<p>The best time to deal with this situation is at the start of a relationship. &#8220;I treat my consultant/contractor work like a regular job, and set expectations when I first speak with a prospective client. I explain what my work hours are and that I&#8217;m not available in the evenings or weekends,&#8221; says <a href="http://www.lireo.com/">Deborah Edwards-Onoro</a>.</p>
<p>Like most web workers, you may be flexible and accept occasional out-of-hours work. Still, it could snowball into a regular thing. &#8220;Frankly, if you don&#8217;t set the parameters ahead of time, you&#8217;re setting yourself up for expectations that aren&#8217;t going to be acceptable,&#8221; says <a href="http://www.vineyardvirtualservices.com/">Michele Wilcox</a>.</p>
<p>What if you have multiple clients and they all decide to call on you at the same time, or you <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/01/20/when-you-bite-off-more-than-you-can-chew/">bite off more than you can chew</a>? Draw a line under your time by being proactive with these tips.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Discuss work hours at the start of a relationship</strong>. Specify your hours of availability and your flexibility. Set guidelines for special projects and emergencies that require out-of-hours work. These guidelines could include number of days or hours of advance notice for after hours work, list higher rates and how to handle emergencies. Get all of this down in a simple <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/tag/contracts/">contract</a> template that you can re-use.</li>
<li><strong>Keep separate phone lines</strong>. Web workers should have separate phone numbers for home and business. It&#8217;s not professional to use one line for both, especially as there are plenty of <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/08/28/telephony-options-for-corporate-telecommuters/">telephony options</a> available that can make it possible without a big expense.</li>
<li><strong>Find a voicemail tool with features you need</strong>. Some <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/tag/voicemail/">voicemail</a> providers offer features that give you more control over how the service handles your calls.</li>
<li><strong>Let calls go to voicemail</strong>. Your client may be calling to share a thought without expecting you to answer. Let voicemail take the message and then check to see what the client has to say. Answering every time gives the impression you&#8217;re &#8220;always on.&#8221;</li>
<li><strong>Turn off the phone</strong>. The phone should be there for your convenience. Despite this, some people struggle to ignore a ringing phone.</li>
<li><strong>Set email guidelines</strong>. Tell your clients when they can expect an email response. You can set a rule that you reply within two hours during working hours and then a different rule for after hours and weekends.</li>
<li><strong>Post your business hours</strong>. List your hours on your web site and in your voice mail, or indicate the best time to reach you. Prospective clients will respect your hours if they see your schedule before hiring you.</li>
<li><strong>Turn off instant messaging, Facebook chat and similar tools</strong>. If clients contact you by instant messaging (IM) or on other platforms such as Skype, remember to switch your status to &#8220;away&#8221; as needed &#8212; or turn off the service.</li>
<li><strong>Be proactive and present</strong>. Some clients don&#8217;t think to ask if you&#8217;re available for after-hours work. Rather than waiting for it to happen, tell the client that you&#8217;re flexible and would appreciate advance notice if something comes up. &#8220;If a client feels taken care of, he or she may hesitate before picking up the phone on weekends or after hours,&#8221; says <a href="http://michellezavala.com/">Michelle I. Zavala</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Some people believe &#8220;always on&#8221; is the way to stay ahead of competitors, but it can harm your health and work quality. &#8220;How can you give your best to a client if they&#8217;re calling you, say, in the middle of the night and you&#8217;re asleep?&#8221; asks <a href="http://www.prof-edit.com/">Teresa Nolan Barensfeld</a>. &#8220;Another point is that your clients won&#8217;t see you as a professional if you don&#8217;t set any boundaries about your availability.&#8221;</p>
<p>Some freelancers say they compromise with after-hours work by taking time off during the day. You may run into clients who need 24/7 support. Steer away from such a set-up by asking questions and understanding their expectations. &#8220;Not everyone needs to set these boundaries for themselves and not every business model allows them. However, I have found that I am far more productive if I have a clear distinction between my office hours and the time I spend with my family,&#8221; says <a href="http://www.paramaya.net/">Laura Sultan</a>.</p>
<p><em>How do you manage after-hours work?</em></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1230104">Photo</a> by <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/profile/Thoursie">stock.xchng user Hans Thoursie</a>.</em></p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=30082&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=932543"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=932543" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Mix Up the Workweek by Setting Your Own &quot;20-Percent Time&quot;</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2010/03/12/mix-up-the-workweek-by-setting-your-own-20-percent-time/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2010/03/12/mix-up-the-workweek-by-setting-your-own-20-percent-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Celine Roque</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[20-percent time]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[project]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[projects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webworkerdaily.com/?p=29732</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Google has what it calls "20-Percent Time", where its employees spend one day each workweek on projects they're passionate about, while 3M calls its version "15% culture," which "encourages technical employees to spend 15 percent of their time on projects of their own choosing and initiative."<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=29732&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/pie.png"><img  title="pie" src="http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/pie.png?w=300&#038;h=259" alt="" width="300" height="259" class=" alignleft" /></a>Many large companies have policies that allow employees to spend some of their time working on their own projects. These programs are often used to entice high-caliber job applicants, as well as encourage innovation. For example, Google has what it calls <a id="r735" title="&quot;20-Percent Time&quot;" href="http://www.google.com/support/jobs/bin/static.py?page=about.html&amp;about=eng">&#8220;20-Percent Time&#8221;</a>, where its employees spend one day each workweek on project they&#8217;re passionate about, while 3M calls its version &#8220;<a id="g33v" title="3M calls their version &quot;15% culture&quot;" href="http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/global/sustainability/our-people/employee-engagement">15% culture</a>,&#8221; which &#8220;encourages technical employees to spend 15 percent of their time on projects of their own choosing and initiative.&#8221;</p>
<p>This approach doesn&#8217;t have to only apply to corporate employees &#8212; it can apply to web workers as well. Whether you&#8217;re a freelancer or a corporate employee, if your work is measured on your performance rather than your presence, your work hours may be flexible enough to accommodate your own &#8220;20-Percent Time.&#8221;</p>
<p>But why do it in the first place?</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Innovation and creativity.</strong> Innovation is one of the most cited perks of 20-percent time. According to <a id="befq" title="this handy infographic" href="http://royal.pingdom.com/2010/02/24/google-facts-and-figures-massive-infographic/">this handy infographic</a>, <em>half</em> of Google&#8217;s products are a result of this employment perk. The products that have resulted from 20-Percent Time include Google Adsense and many Google Labs features. An example that might seem closer to home is cartoonist Hugh MacLeod. He drew <a id="d5ce" title="his first gapingvoid cartoons" href="http://gapingvoid.com/about/">his first gapingvoid cartoons</a> during his downtime while he was working as a copywriter. Now he&#8217;s published a book and does commissioned art. He may not have had a firm policy on creating things outside of work, but it&#8217;s easy to lose sight of side projects when one focuses on their &#8220;real&#8221; work almost every waking hour to the exclusion of everything else.</li>
<li><strong>Exploration.</strong> By making the time to pursue personal passions, you can dabble in different areas, which sometimes results a broader understanding or a new perspective on the field you&#8217;re working in. It might even lead to a new line of work altogether. 37signals <a id="rrf7" title="started as a web design firm" href="http://37signals.com/about">started as a web design firm</a>, but <a id="moc7" title="they couldn't collaboration tools suited to their needs" href="http://gettingreal.37signals.com/ch02_Whats_Your_Problem.php">couldn&#8217;t find collaboration tools suited to their needs</a> so they created <a id="xh5a" title="Basecamp" href="http://basecamphq.com/">Basecamp</a>. This led them to develop their own web apps instead, eventually leading to the <a id="r.:o" title="Ruby on Rails" href="http://rubyonrails.org/">Ruby on Rails</a> framework.</li>
<li><strong>Opportunity.</strong> By making time for personal projects you give yourself license to act on ideas, questions and passions that you might not be able to do during your work week. You&#8217;ll have a chance to do tasks would&#8217;ve been too risky, or even seemed downright strange.</li>
<li><strong>Motivation.</strong> In <a id="r32y" title="a popular TED talk" href="http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html">a popular TED talk</a>, Dan Pink discussed the science behind three major motivators in the workplace (<a id="kzbz" title="which I elaborated on in a previous post" href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/09/22/perpetual-fuel-finding-the-motivation-to-work/">which I elaborated on in a previous post</a>). These motivators are autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Though your experience with the latter two may depend on the project you choose, giving yourself 20-Percent Time allows you to exercise your autonomy.</li>
</ul>
<h3><strong>Setting Your 20-Percent Time</strong></h3>
<p>Before you schedule your 20-Percent Time, remember that the number shouldn&#8217;t be taken literally. Allocate the time that works for you. You can take one day each week, an entire weekend, or even 30 minutes each day. Personally, I like to start my day working on a personal passion project. It gives me fuel to work through the rest of the day. Plus, it eases me into a heavier workload ahead &#8212; after all, if I make a mistake on my personal project, none of my clients will suffer.</p>
<p>As Simon <a id="y78g" title="noted in a previous post" href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/05/28/regain-balance-and-avoid-burnout/">noted in a previous post</a>, it&#8217;s easier to get burned out when you don&#8217;t work a typical 9-to-5 job. With that in mind, how can the typical web worker manage to have 20-Percent Time especially if they have a busy home life? It&#8217;s hard to squeeze in a personal project if your family, pets, and home errands suddenly require your attention.</p>
<p>Taking a cue <a id="y:k_" title="from Sylvia Plath" href="http://www.sylviaplath.info/biography.html">from Sylvia Plath</a>, why not <strong>work on your project before your household wakes up</strong>? This might mean waking up earlier than usual, but even 15 minutes per day spent on a passion project is better than nothing. Plus, the quiet environment might make it easier for you to work.</p>
<p>But here&#8217;s some more common sense: <strong><a id="tbo5" title="mark the end of your workday" href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/02/06/mark-the-end-of-the-day-and-finish-on-time/">mark the end of your workday</a></strong>. It may not be a cutting-edge life hack, but it&#8217;s simple and, more importantly, it&#8217;s true. Only by setting actual work hours can we draw a clear line between work and the rest of our preoccupations.</p>
<p><em>Do you set aside time for personal projects? If so, how did you manage it and what do you do with your time?</em></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheatfields/2587147000/">Photo</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheatfields/">flickr user net_efekt</a>, licensed under CC-BY-2.0</em></p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=29732&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=174821"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=174821" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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			<media:title type="html">Celine</media:title>
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		<title>Doodle Premium Launches: 50 Free Accounts for WWD Readers</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2009/08/11/doodle-premium-launches-50-free-accounts-for-wwd-readers/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2009/08/11/doodle-premium-launches-50-free-accounts-for-wwd-readers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Simon Mackie</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Locations & Services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Software Apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[doodle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://webworkerdaily.com/?p=17643</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Popular online scheduling tool Doodle (as used by WWD writer Aliza Sherman) today launched a Premium Edition. This new version of the app, which costs $28 per year, lets people present a more professional image by removing advertising and allowing customization of their Doodle pages. It [&#8230;]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=17643&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img  title="doodleR" src="http:///2009/08/doodler.png" alt="doodleR" width="157" height="35" class=" alignleft" />Popular online scheduling tool <a href="http://www.doodle.com/">Doodle</a> (as <a href="http://webworkerdaily.com/2009/03/01/web-work-101-10-apps-you-cant-do-without/">used by WWD writer Aliza Sherman</a>) today launched a Premium Edition. This new version of the app, which costs $28 per year, lets people present a more professional image by removing advertising and allowing customization of their Doodle pages. It also allows users to<span style="color: black;"> request personal information from their event participants, such as postal and email addresses and phone numbers</span>.</p>
<p>We have 50 free Premium Edition accounts to give away. Sign onto Doodle (or log into your existing account) and enter coupon code: <span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #000000;">4as9zxcc. The first 50 readers to use it will get one year of access to the Premium Edition.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #000000;"><em>Let us know what you think of Doodle Premium Edition in the comments.</em><br />
</span></span></p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=17643&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=519720"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=519720" /></a></p><p><strong>Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:</strong><br />Subscriber content. <a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=17643+doodle-premium-launches-50-free-accounts-for-wwd-readers&utm_content=simonmackie">Sign up for a free trial</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2012/02/practical-business-content-collaboration-personal-tools-show-the-way/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=17643+doodle-premium-launches-50-free-accounts-for-wwd-readers&utm_content=simonmackie">Personal tools lead to practical business</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2011/07/millenials-in-the-enterprise-part-1-strategies-for-supporting-the-new-digital-workforce/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=17643+doodle-premium-launches-50-free-accounts-for-wwd-readers&utm_content=simonmackie">Millennials in the enterprise, part 1: strategies for supporting the new digital workforce</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2011/02/a-2011-newnet-forecast/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=17643+doodle-premium-launches-50-free-accounts-for-wwd-readers&utm_content=simonmackie">A 2011 NewNet Forecast</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>How Long Do You Expect Your Macs to Last?</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2009/08/04/how-long-do-you-expect-your-macs-to-last/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2009/08/04/how-long-do-you-expect-your-macs-to-last/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:00:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charles Moore</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Commentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hardware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[20-percent time]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life span]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mac]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[project]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[projects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[side projects]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://theappleblog.com/?p=29732</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How long should a Mac last? Mac360&#8242;s Alexis Kayhill posed the question recently, and it got me thinking on the topic, especially since Alexis framed her column around the experience of a co-worker who had purchased a new unibody MacBook (on her recommendation) only to have [&#8230;]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=173163&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img  title="old_mac" src="http://gigapple.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/old_mac.jpg?w=261&#038;h=206" alt="old_mac" width="261" height="206" class=" alignleft" /></p>
<p class="excerpt">How long should a Mac last? Mac360&#8242;s Alexis Kayhill <a href="http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/how_many_years_should_your_mac_last/">posed the question recently</a>, and it got me thinking on the topic, especially since Alexis framed her column around the experience of a co-worker who had purchased a new unibody MacBook (on her recommendation) only to have Apple upgrade the 13&#8243; unibody to Pro status with feature enhancement and a lower price a few months later.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m in the same boat, having also bought a unibody MacBook last February. Alexis says her friend &#8220;got burned,&#8221; though I think that&#8217;s a bit harsh. I don&#8217;t feel &#8220;burned&#8221; at all &#8212; more like a bit disappointed that I didn&#8217;t wait four more months, but you can drive yourself nuts second-guessing such things. I love the MacBook, and am already becoming convinced that it&#8217;s going to be one of my all-time favorite Macs. I just wish it had a FireWire port, which the new 13&#8243; MacBook Pro does have.</p>
<p>My target for intervals between upgrading my main workhorse systems has been three years ever since I bought my first Mac back in 1992, and I&#8217;ve done pretty well at adhering to it. That would put replacement time for my MacBook in early 2012, which seems a long way off. <span id="more-173163"></span></p>
<p>The way it usually plays out for me is that the first year I revel in the greater power and storage capacity of my new machine compared with whatever it replaced. At 18 months, twinges of slight frustration and dissatisfaction start to set in, especially after upgraded models have been introduced, but I really have nothing to complain about. However, by the beginning of year three, the aging Mac is usually beginning to feel compromised in some respects, and the hunt begins, although for the last three machines I&#8217;ve managed to reach or beat the three-year replacement benchmark.</p>
<p>Of course it helps that I like the challenge of getting useful service out of antiquated hardware. We still have two nine year old Pismo PowerBooks in very active service, and they&#8217;re great for what we do with them &#8212; text-crunching, email, Web-surfing, and so forth &#8212; &#8220;netbooks&#8221; of a sort, I suppose.</p>
<p>Actually, I still have most of the Macs I&#8217;ve ever owned, and only a very few are not in working order. Our six year old iBook G3 died suddenly last winter, but had been a virtually flawless performer up to the day it completely refused to respond to the power button &#8212; presumably a terminal motherboard issue. One of my daughters is still using my old 1999 WallStreet PowerBook, and the 17&#8243; PowerBook that served as my primary workhorse between the iBook and MacBook is still in fine fettle.</p>
<p>As Alexis Kayhill observes, there&#8217;s a line somewhere between the disappointment that occurs when a newer, power and feature-enhanced, and possibly cheaper revision is unveiled, especially if it&#8217;s only shortly after you buy a new Mac. But there&#8217;s also the pride you feel when your Mac still looks good and works well five years (or nine years!) after you bought it.</p>
<p>Macs being generally more expensive than typical Windows PCs, at least up front, it logically stands to reason that they should have longer useful lives.</p>
<p>How about you? How often do you usually upgrade your system, and what do you consider a reasonable service life for Macs?</p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=173163&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=165149"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=165149" /></a></p><p><strong>Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:</strong><br />Subscriber content. <a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/?utm_source=apple&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=173163+how-long-do-you-expect-your-macs-to-last&utm_content=cwmoore1">Sign up for a free trial</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2012/05/the-living-room-reinvented-trends-technologies-and-companies-to-watch/?utm_source=apple&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=173163+how-long-do-you-expect-your-macs-to-last&utm_content=cwmoore1">Who and what to watch in the new era of the living room</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2012/03/the-new-it-manager-part-2-new-challenges-for-the-it-organization/?utm_source=apple&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=173163+how-long-do-you-expect-your-macs-to-last&utm_content=cwmoore1">New challenges for the IT organization</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2012/03/the-new-it-manager-part-1-trends-affecting-it-in-business/?utm_source=apple&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=173163+how-long-do-you-expect-your-macs-to-last&utm_content=cwmoore1">The new IT manager, part 1</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Scheduling My Time</title>
		<link>http://gigaom.com/2009/07/22/scheduling-my-time/</link>
		<comments>http://gigaom.com/2009/07/22/scheduling-my-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:00:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dawn Foster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How Do You Work?]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips & Tricks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scheduling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Time]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[One of the best things about being a freelancer is that I can schedule my time in a way that works best for me; however, this flexibility can be a double-edged sword. While I have quite a bit of freedom to work on projects whenever it [&#8230;]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=16252&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of the best things about being a freelancer is that I can schedule my time in a way that works best for me; however, this flexibility can be a double-edged sword. While I have quite a bit of freedom to work on projects whenever it is most convenient, I find that in order to maintain my sanity, I need to carefully schedule my time to maximize productivity and make sure that I complete tasks on time.</p>
<p><a href="http:///2009/07/picture-22.png"><img  title="Clock" src="http:///2009/07/picture-22.png" alt="Clock" width="155" height="155" class=" alignleft" /></a>We all have different ways of working based on our body clocks and personal preferences. I get my best work done between 7am and 2pm. I usually try to get up between 6am and 7am, and head right to the computer to catch up on East Coast client email and take care of any urgent items before hitting the shower and starting my day.<span id="more-16252"></span></p>
<p>Between 7am and 2pm, I work mostly on client projects and writing. I also schedule many of my client meetings during this time and most of my posts for this blog are written in the morning and early afternoon. I try to schedule non-billable meetings after 2pm, so most of my business development or informational meetings are scheduled in the late afternoon. I also try to schedule my workouts in the late afternoon / early evening when my productivity is waning, as I need something to re-energize me.</p>
<p>I also try to combine meetings where possible to avoid spending too much time in transit getting from one meeting to the next. My favorite way to do this is to combine meetings with a Friday afternoon event in Portland called <a href="http://portland.beerandblog.com">Beer and Blog</a>. By Friday afternoon, I am usually less focused when sitting at home trying to get work done, so I try to schedule meetings right before Beer and Blog. This gets me out of the house, gets the energy level back up, and reduces travel time by bringing my meetings to the same location as an event that I plan to attend anyway.</p>
<p>This doesn&#8217;t mean that I am completely inflexible when it comes to scheduling. I sometimes end up doing client work in the afternoon or evening to meet a deadline, and I often end up with random non-work coffee meetings with people in the morning to accommodate busy schedules. I can be flexible, but I certainly have my preferences for certain types of work at specific times.</p>
<p>Until last week, I didn&#8217;t realize how big of an impact my schedule had on my productivity. In Portland, we were having a heat wave with temperatures in the 90s all week, which meant that my afternoon workouts were nearly impossible, so I shifted my workouts into the morning and my client work into the late afternoon. While I was able to beat the heat and get my workouts finished before the temperature hit 80 degrees, I found it much more difficult to finish my client work. I was able to get everything finished, but I was more easily distracted in the afternoons, and I missed having the workout as a way to get my energy levels back up. We&#8217;re having another heat wave this week, but now that I am more aware of how my productivity is impacted by my schedule, maybe I can make a few more tweaks that result in less of an impact to my productivity.</p>
<p><em>How do you schedule your time? How does your schedule impact your productivity?</em></p>
<br />  <img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=gigaom.com&#038;blog=14960843&#038;post=16252&#038;subd=gigaom2&#038;ref=&#038;feed=1" width="1" height="1" /><p><a href="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=419078"><img src="http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/1008864/GigaOM_RSS_300x250&#038;sz=300x250&#038;c=419078" /></a></p><p><strong>Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:</strong><br />Subscriber content. <a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=16252+scheduling-my-time&utm_content=geekygirldawn">Sign up for a free trial</a>.</p><ul><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2012/02/practical-business-content-collaboration-personal-tools-show-the-way/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=16252+scheduling-my-time&utm_content=geekygirldawn">Personal tools lead to practical business</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2011/12/defining-work-in-the-digital-age-an-analysis-by-gigaom-pro/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=16252+scheduling-my-time&utm_content=geekygirldawn">Defining work in the digital age: an analysis by GigaOM Pro</a></li><li><a href="http://pro.gigaom.com/2011/07/millenials-in-the-enterprise-part-1-strategies-for-supporting-the-new-digital-workforce/?utm_source=tech&utm_medium=editorial&utm_campaign=auto3&utm_term=16252+scheduling-my-time&utm_content=geekygirldawn">Millennials in the enterprise, part 1: strategies for supporting the new digital workforce</a></li></ul>]]></content:encoded>
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