Make work simple by using the tools and tactics that are right for you Your time is under attack. You just can’t get enough done. You find yourself wondering where the hours go. You’ve tried every time-management system you can get your hands on—and they’ve only succeeded in making your work more complicated. Sound familiar? If you sometimes feel you spend more time managing your productivity than doing actual work, it’s time for a change. In Work Simply , renowned productivity expert Carson Tate offers a step-by-step guide to making work simple again by using the style that works best for you. Tate has helped thousands of men and women better manage their time and become more productive. Her success owes partly to the realization that most of us fit into one of four distinct productivity styles: Arrangers , who think about their projects in terms of the people involved; Prioritizers , who are the definition of “goal-oriented”; Visualizers , who possess a unique ability to comprehend the big picture; and Planners , who live for the details. In this book, you’ll learn How to identify your own productivity style as well as the styles of those around you—bosses, coworkers, staff, and family. - How to select your “tools of the trade” to maximize your effectiveness, from the style of pen you use to the way you decorate your office. - When face-to-face conversations are more effective than e-mails—and vice versa. - What it takes to lead the perfect meeting. - Why a messy desk is right for some, but a disaster for others—and how to tell. After reading Work Simply , you’ll come away with a productivity system that truly and fundamentally fits you —and you’ll never feel overwhelmed again. “We all work differently, and knowing ourselves is the key to effective time management. In this approachable guide, Carson Tate shows how to embrace your own style—and get more done.” — Laura Vanderkam , author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast “The most important asset you have is time and you can’t afford to waste it. Not only is Work Simply rich with solid, practical, grounded advice about reclaiming your time, it’s infused with heart, warmth, and humanity to boot. You’ll want everyone in your office to read it.” — Sonia Choquette , author of The Answer Is Simple and Trust Your Vibes at Work “A leader’s most important resource is time. Work Simply helps leaders find that time, so they can maximize the contributions of others and strategize for the future. This book is an invaluable resource.” — Bill Timmerman , retired CEO of SCANA “At a time when work has become overly complicated, with so many of us caught up in busyness, drowning in e-mails, interrupted, distracted, and overloaded with information, Carson Tate has written a guidebook to sanity. Filled with imminently practical advice, this book can help us all learn to work simply and live fully.” — Brigid Schulte , author of Overwhelmed CARSON TATE , the founder of Working Simply , is a nationally renowned expert on workplace productivity. She serves as a consultant, coach, public speaker, and executive trainer for a wide range of Fortune 500 companies and other clients. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family. Visit www.carsontate.com Introduction A Road Map to the Book MY HOPE IS THAT THIS BOOK CAN BE A TOOL THAT SUPPORTS you as you reclaim your life by using personalized tools that can make you more productive, creative—and happy. To assist you as you read this book, I have included a road map of each chapter to give you an overview of the chapter contents and help you quickly determine the reading order that suits you best. By following the links from one balloon to the next, you can see how the ideas in each chapter are connected to one another. You may find that the ideas in certain chapters quickly grab your attention because they relate so closely to challenges you’re facing in your daily life and work. Feel free to jump from chapter to chapter as your needs and interests dictate. But I recommend you start by reading chapter 1, “Work Smarter, Not Harder,” chapter 2, “Get Ready to Work Smarter,” and chapter 3, “What’s Your Productivity Style?” to assess the root causes of your stress and to identify your Productivity Style. That style will be referred to throughout the book as you develop your personalized path to productivity. Prologue The Day After Christmas IT WAS DECEMBER 26, 2011—THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. IT was also ten days after the first birthday of my beautiful daughter EC. And I was tired. Very tired. I am sure that’s normal for the mother of a little toddler, especially in the midst of the busiest time of the year and a very special birthday celebration to boot. But I couldn’t help wondering, “How did I end up sitting on the floor, my bones aching, wondering whether I would be able to stand up again?” Andrew and I had waited a long time after marriage before deciding to start our family