| Many people have used a paper book style diary for | | | | Additional reminders can be set for half an hour before |
| years and it has worked perfectly well for them. | | | | the meeting starts to remind you to get the relevant |
| Some of them even have beautiful leather bound ones | | | | material together before you leave. |
| to look extra official when planning out their day. These | | | | When gathering relevant material, it may be necessary |
| days a lot of people would not consider a paper diary | | | | to search through emails and folders to find the |
| as there is plenty of diary software to use and it has | | | | appropriate emails and documents to print off. |
| almost become second nature to use the technology | | | | Microsoft Outlook allows you to attach as many |
| available to us. But what are the advantages of | | | | documents and emails to a meeting request as |
| moving to software based diary versus a paper one? | | | | required so that you can save time by negating the |
| Can technology ever fully replace paper? | | | | need to search. Simply open the request and open the |
| When using Microsoft Outlook's diary functionality for | | | | documents attached. This functionality allows far |
| example it is possible to share calendars with other | | | | greater efficiency especially if you have several |
| members of staff. This means that when someone | | | | meetings in a day. The user can feel less |
| wants to request a meeting with you or find out when | | | | overwhelmed and more organised. |
| you are free they can simply check your calendar | | | | There used to be a problem with diaries on the |
| without every having to bother you. If you are using a | | | | computer since you could not take them with you. |
| book-based diary then you are the only one that can | | | | Nowadays, even if you do not have a laptop there are |
| see it. People may have to interrupt you more than | | | | BlackBerries and PDAs that are portable and have |
| once to plan a single meeting. This can mean your | | | | wireless Internet connection. This allows total access all |
| concentration is broken and your performance | | | | of the time. Since it is likely that you will bring a laptop |
| decreases as a result. Reducing distractions as part of | | | | or BlackBerry with you when travelling for work |
| your time management can improve the quality of | | | | purposes, bringing an extra paper based diary would |
| your work. Microsoft Outlook still allows an individual to | | | | be cumbersome. Using the diary already present on |
| place private appointments that nobody else can see | | | | your laptop means less weight to carry around. |
| so that lack of privacy is not an issue. | | | | There is an environmental and cost reduction |
| When meetings are added in this way automatic alerts | | | | advantage to technology based diaries. They reduce |
| and reminders can be set up to go off at a specific | | | | the amount of paper used and are cheaper since the |
| time interval, which the employee can set. With | | | | technology already exists on the computer. The cost |
| paper-based diaries it is necessary to continuously | | | | of a paper diary per member of the company is |
| check for meetings or to remember the entire | | | | saved annually which can add up to a large overall |
| schedule for the day. This can lead to human error | | | | saving. Meetings and appointments can be added and |
| and missed appointments. A simple reminder can | | | | deleted easily and with no mess. Since the purpose of |
| mean that you never have to miss a meeting or | | | | a diary is to help manage a person's time in the most |
| appointment again. Even if you are distracted with a | | | | efficient and organised way, a technology-based diary |
| task, the reminder will ensure that you are interrupted | | | | would fulfil this requirement to a higher standard. Having |
| at the correct time. Since you will not have to keep an | | | | seen various paper diaries with items scribbled out or |
| eye on the clock yourself, you will be able to give full | | | | written with ineligible handwriting on margins, a |
| attention and focus to the tasks you are working on. | | | | technology-based diary is more likely to give organised |
| Reminders can also be set to be recurring to avoid the | | | | and skillful time management ability. |
| need to add the same thing over and over again. | | | | |