ZIP! Tips: The Fastest Way to Get More Done by Mike Song, Paperback

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781609949150
Publisher:	Berrett-Koehler Publishers
Publication date:	06/03/2013
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Mike Song is a sought-after keynote speaker and CEO of GetControl.net, which helps the best and brightest organizations get more done. He’s the lead author of the bestselling Hamster Revolution book series and has reached millions via interviews with Good Morning America, CNN, CNBC, and the Wall Street Journal.

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ZIP TIPS

By Mike Song, Rachel Metzger

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Copyright © 2013 Mike Song
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-60994-915-0

Excerpt

<h2>CHAPTER 1</h2> RELAPSE Harold Gets Hamsterized I couldn't believe my eyes. Harold had relapsed! He'd turned back into a two-foot hamster and was pacing to and fro on his little rodent legs, dragging his microsized briefcase behind him. "You did this to me!" he shouted, pointing a furry finger at me. Okay, let's back up a bit. I'm a productivity coach, and a few years ago I helped Harold with, um ... a delicate little problem. He had become so overwhelmed with e-mail, interruptions, and tasks that he'd turned into a hamster. Why a hamster? Because, these days, most professionals are running in place at work like hamsters on never-ending, exhausting wheels. Today, Harold was back, as one very frustrated rodent. He dropped his briefcase and spun toward me. "Look at me! I'm supposed to be prepping for a huge press conference." "Press conference?" "Yes! I've got to address the entire Foster and Schrubb executive team—and the media—in less than three hours. We're launching a new customer service app, and I am so far behind! I still need to create handouts, brief my team, polish my speech ..." "Wow!" I said. "When did you start feeling so overwhelmed?" "It started a month ago and ... yikes!" Harold stared down at his arms in horror. "It's getting worse. I'm getting furrier, shorter, and more hamsterish. Good grief!" As he buried his head in his paws, gasping for breath, I bent down to place a hand on his heaving shoulders. "Quick, Harold," I urged, "have you changed anything about the way you work since we last spoke?" Harold's furry brow furrowed as he considered my question. "Yes! I attended a full-day time-management class exactly one month ago when this all started. They taught me all about daily lists, prioritizing my tasks with four codes, and getting my inbox to zero but ... somehow, it's only seemed to make me busier and busier." Aha! I held up my hand. "I know what's wrong, and I'll explain later," I said urgently. "But right now, we've got to stop the hamsterization process—stat! Harold, you need to discover a powerful new concept called ZIP!" "What's 'zip'?" Harold asked. "ZIP! is lightning in a bottle ... a hurricane in a can. ZIP! is rocket fuel for your career and a spa day for your stressed-out soul!" Harold rolled his eyes impatiently. "Yeah, and I suppose it does laundry too." "Not quite," I replied with a smile. "But it's the fastest way to get more done, and that's what will turn you back into a human being." "What on earth are you talking about?" "ZIP! focuses on the fastest-growing and most rapidly changing aspect of our lives: technology. It's a business philosophy that combines core success principles with quick-to-learn, easy-to-use tech tips. I call them ZIP! Tips. It's the new cure for overwhelmed business hamsters like you." "Stop with the infomercial. Give me an example," Harold demanded, peering at me skeptically. "Okay, here's the first core principle," I said. ZIP! Core Principle #1 Tech Management Is the Fastest Way to Get More Done. "So it's more about tech management than time management?" Harold asked. "Exactly. And ZIP! isn't just about one technology like Outlook or iPhone; it focuses on all your software and devices and how they interact with each other. That's—" "So these ZIP! Tips will reverse the hamsterization process?" "Yes." "Show me," he insisted, eager to reclaim his humanity. I scooped him up and popped him onto the chair next to my laptop. Then I paused, looking around the room, as if I were about to reveal a top–secret plan. "Do you have any long phrases that you need to type every day?" "Of course," Harold said quickly. "I've got a bunch of them." "Give me an example." "Well, I have to type my team name, Foster and Schrubb Organizational Development Team, quite a bit." I tapped out a quick adjustment on my computer, and then turned the keyboard toward Harold. "TType in 'fd,' " I said. Harold hit the two keys and turned to me, exasperated. "I think you're losing it. Why are we—?" I put my finger to my lips. "Shh, it's time to ZIP! Now hit the space bar in ... three, two, one, now!" Harold nervously tapped the space bar,, and I yelled, "Bam!" On the screen, the entire phrase magically popped out: Foster and Schrubb Organizational Development Team. "Wow!" Harold cried. "How'd you do that? I've been typing those fifty flipping letters for eight years!" "Never again!" I cried. "From now on, the Amazing AutoCorrector is going to zip out your long phrases in a nanosecond." Harold began to look hopeful for the first time. "You gotta show me how you did that magic trick!" he cried. "It's magic," I said. "The kind that happens when you activate your robots." ZIP! Core Principle # 2 Activate Your Robots! Harold looked perplexed. "Robots? Like C3PO? I don't have any robots." "Yes you do, Harold," I explained. "In order to ZIP!, you must change the way you think about technology. You have a whole fleet of useful robots, but they're gathering robot dust in their lonely robot corners." "Are you crazy? Where are they?" Harold asked, looking around nervously. "They live inside your technology. You see, Harold, the robots are here, at your fingertips!" "So you're saying that the robots that we've been waiting for, the ones that would help us with all kinds of tough tasks, have been right here all along, in our computers?" "Exactly." I smiled. "And Harold, you just met your first robot." "Wow!" Harold marveled. "So what's next?" "First, I need to share a little secret with you." <h2>CHAPTER 2</h2> The Amazing AutoCorrector Type Long Phrases in a Flash I paused for a moment to gaze out the window, taking a deep breath. Storm clouds were gathering on the horizon. Harold's visit confirmed what I had suspected: the dark forces of chaos and overwhelm were gathering strength, turning more and more professionals like Harold into hamsters. It was time for hamsters everywhere to fight back. The moment had finally come. I turned from the window, grabbed at hidden Velcro ties, and dramatically tore away my business suit. I stood tall and proud—fists on hips—in my shiny, new, black-and-orange superhero costume, a bold, blue Z emblazoned on my chest. "I am Z!" I cried out mightily, complete with a neat echoing sound effect. I'm pretty sure beams of light emanated from my very aura. Harold's jaw dropped, and he fell off his chair. "The ZIP! Tips I'll share will help you and millions of others become productivity superheroes!" Now over his initial shock, Harold burst out laughing. "Productivity superheroes? Are you nuts? I'd be happy just to be human again." "Understood," I said with a smile. "I know it sounds crazy, but I'm asking you to believe that you are about to gain some superhuman skills. Do you trust me?" Harold glanced down at his furry arms and sighed. "Do I have a choice? It sounds like ZIP! Tips are my only hope." "You're not alone," I said, glancing at the dark clouds rolling toward us. "Z, you look ridiculous," Harold said. "No offense." "None taken," I replied, making a mental note to speak with my tailor. I reached into a secret compartment in my desk and reverently produced a small, black book titled, Top-Secret ZIP! Tips. The book seemed to glow a little, and Harold looked at it in awe. "Are you ready to ZIP!?" "Let's do it," Harold said. "Okay, open up your laptop and launch Outlook!" I cried. "I'm going to show you how to use the Amazing AutoCorrector." "Will this robot only work in the latest version of Outlook?" Harold asked, as he pulled his laptop out of his briefcase. "No. That's another core principle of ZIP!" ZIP! Core Principle # 3 The Best ZIP! Tips Work Forever and Everywhere "This ZIP! Tip has worked on the last four versions of Outlook and it works for PC, Mac, iPhone, BlackBerry, and iPad users too. You can also use it in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote!" "Wow!" Harold said. "I can use this one ZIP! Tip in a zillion places. I could even help colleagues and friends who use different technologies." "Exactamundo!" I replied. "Let's get started with your PC version of Outlook first. The trick is to use Outlook's AutoCorrect function to trigger longer phrases when you type a two letter code." I opened the ZIP! Tips book to the right page and handed it to Harold. He smiled. "These are simple steps, let me try ..." "One more thing," I added. "When you see italics in the instructions, it means that that word or phrase is a menu item that you need to tap." Harold nodded and began to implement his first Amazing AutoCorrect. ROBOT: THE AMAZING AUTOCORRECTOR JOB: Saves time by typing long, commonly used phrases with a few keystrokes. The Amazing AutoCorrector for Outlook 2003, 2007, 2010, and 2013 (PC Version) First, surf to the special menu page where you can program your time-saving Amazing AutoCorrectors. Here are the directions: For Outlook 2003: Click on Tools > Options > Spelling > AutoCorrect Options to arrive at the AutoCorrect programming page, also known as the trigger page. Type a short trigger phrase in the Replace box and your commonly used, longer phrase in the With box. Click on Add and OK. Then open a new e-mail, type the trigger phrase, and tap the space bar. For Outlook 2007: Click on Tools > Options > Spelling and Autocorrect > AutoCorrect Options to arrive at the AutoCorrect programming page, also known as the trigger page. Type a short trigger phrase in the Replace box and your longer phrase in the With box. Click on Add and OK. Then, open a new e-mail, type the trigger phrase, and tap the space bar. For Outlook 2010 and 2013: Click on File > Options > Mail > Spelling and Autocorrect > AutoCorrect Options to arrive at the AutoCorrect programming page, also known as the trigger page. Type a short trigger phrase in the Replace box and your longer phrase in the With box. Click on Add and OK. Then, open a new e-mail, type the trigger phrase, and tap the spacebar. Example: Replace a short phrase such as "zt" with your commonly used, longer phrase such as "ZIP! Tips: the Fastest Way to Get More Done." The Amazing AutoCorrector for Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote 2007 For 2007 versions, click on the Windows Office button in upper-left corner and then Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or OneNote Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options. Type a short trigger phrase in the Replace box and your longer phrase in the With box. Example: Replace "zt" with "ZIP! Tips: the Fastest Way to Get More Done." Click on Add and OK. The Amazing AutoCorrector for Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote 2010 and 2013 For 2010 and 2013 versions, click on File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options. Type a short trigger phrase in the Replace box and your longer phrase in the With box. Example: Replace "zt" with "ZIP! Tips: the Fastest Way to Get More Done." Click on Add and OK. The Amazing AutoCorrector for Mac Mail and MAC Outlook 2011 (It's called "Text Replacement." Amazing AutoCorrectors transfer between Mac Mail and Outlook 2011, Mac Notes, and Mac Calendar.) Open Mac Mail and open a new e-mail. Move your mouse to the top of the screen to reveal the topmost menu. Select Edit > Substitutions. Make sure that Text Replacement is checked. From the same menu, select Show Substitutions. Click on Text Preferences and + to add a new AutoCorrect. Type a short trigger phrase in the Replace box and your longer phrase in the With box and tap Enter. Bonus ZIP! Tip: Your amazing AutoCorrects will also work in Mac Notes and in the calendar. The Amazing AutoCorrector for Mac Word, PowerPoint, and Excel 2011 Open Mac Word, PowerPoint, or Excel and move your mouse to the top of the screen to reveal the drop-down menu. Select Tools > AutoCorrect. Type a short trigger phrase in the Replace box and your longer phrase in the With box. Click on Add to save. Bonus ZIP! Tip: In many cases, the AutoCorrects you create will transfer from Word to Excel and PowerPoint. The Amazing AutoCorrector for iPhone and iPad (It's called "Shortcuts.") Go to Settings > General > Keyboard and tap Shortcuts. Tap Add New Shortcut to arrive at the AutoCorrect programming page, also known as the trigger page. Type the longer phrase in the Phrase box. Type the short trigger phrase in the Shortcut box and tap Save. The Amazing AutoCorrector for BlackBerry (It's called "Word Substitution" on most BlackBerry smartphones.) Tap All from your main window. Tap Options. (It's an icon that looks like a wrench.) Tap Typing and Input > Word Substitution. (Readers with older software versions may need to go to Options > AutoText instead of Input > Word Substitution.) Tap the menu button, which is to the left of the center track pad and has seven dots on it. Tap New to arrive at the AutoCorrect programming page, also known as the trigger page. Type your short trigger phrase under the word Replace. Type your longer phrase under the word With. Once Harold was done, he opened a new e-mail, typed "ss," tapped the space bar, and out popped: Foster and Schrubb Job Satisfaction Survey. "Yes!" he cried, jumping up and down on the chair, fist-pumping—or, paw-pumping. "I did it!" I felt a jolt of positive energy run through my body. I love helping others get more done. "Amazing," Harold said. "You just saved me about 500 keystrokes a day." I jabbed at my iPhone's calculator and replied, "With 245 annual work days, that cuts 122,500 key strokes a year!" "This is going to change the world!" Harold murmured, stunned. "Our company has 10,000 employees, so this one ZIP! Tip would save us ..." "1.2 billion keystrokes per year!" I blurted out, holding up my iPhone. "That's billion with a b." Harold was speechless. "More great news," I said. "These Amazing AutoCorrectors transfer automatically to Word, Excel, and other Office programs, like magic." "That doubles the keystrokes I'm going to save," Harold squeaked giddily. "If my whole company uses this tip, we'll save more than 2.4 billion clicks a year." "It's all about tech management," I reminded him. "Not time management. I get it!" Harold cried. He was nearly jumping out of his fur. "Save time, boost performance, better life balance—ZIP!" "You mentioned your company," I added. "You might be interested in sharing my free ZIP! Tips class at Zip-Tips. com with your colleagues. It's packed with fast, fun videos. So, you can teach the Amazing AutoCorrector to your whole company for free!" The ZIP! Tips Class Go to Zip-Tips.com and I'll guide you through the entire process. You'll need this top-secret enrollment key to prove you are a true member of the ZIP! revolution. Top-Secret Reader Enrollment Key: zipnow Questions? Call 888-340-3598 or visit: Zip-Tips.com/info Harold's head was clearly spinning. "My team is going to love this! What's next, Z?"
(Continues...)

Excerpted from ZIP TIPS by Mike Song. Copyright © 2013 by Mike Song. Excerpted by permission of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Preface: The Age of ZIP!
1 Relapse: Harold Gets Hamsterized
2 The Amazing AutoCorrector: Type Long Phrases in a Flash
3 The Draftinator: Easy Templates You Can Insert Fast
4 The Transformer: Instantly Morph E-mail into Other Useful Things
5 The Zip Zone: Fast Access to Everything That Matters Most
6 The AutoDialer: Dial Teleconference Numbers and Pass Codes with One Tap
7 The Tower of Learning Power: Optimize Your Smartphone and Tablet Home Page
8 The Searchbot: New Ways to Zing with Google and Bing
9 The Volume Crusher: Cuts Incoming E-mail by 20 to 40 Percent
10 The ZipCut List: The Top-Ten Most Powerful Computer Shortcuts
11 The Collaborator: The Most Useful and Least Known Meeting Tool
12 Time Management Tips: Don’t Create a Daily Task List
13 The Payoff: Harold and His Robots Save the Day
ZIP! Core Principles
Quick Find Guide: Locate ZIP! Tip Instructions in a Flash
Acknowledgments
Index
About the Author

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Boom! It takes guts to teach Microsoft leaders new ways to use our own technology. This book exceeded our expectations and had us all zipping along!”
—Chuck Metzger, Senior Project Manager, Microsoft

“Pow! ZIP! Tips will turn you into a productivity rock star!”
—David Jennings, Vice President of Education, Community Associations Institute

ZIP! Tips: The Fastest Way to Get More Done

ZIP! Tips: The Fastest Way to Get More Done

Paperback

Paperback

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About the Author

Read an Excerpt

ZIP TIPS

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Excerpt

Table of Contents

What People are Saying About This

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Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Read an Excerpt

ZIP TIPS

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

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Table of Contents

What People are Saying About This

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Customer Reviews