Work productivity, time management, organization, tools and tips

Sand
Sand fills up quadrant III.  This is where you’ll find compulsive checking of email and voicemail, interesting but ultimately irrelevant email discussions, poorly thought out meetings (some would say most meetings), reports that are regularly due but rarely read, interruptions by people who should be getting information elsewhere or earlier, general firefighting, etc. 

Some of these are things you do have to take care of.  Putting them in this category should expose them as tasks that you can work to avoid in the future.  As for the rest, they're simply preying on people's inclination to believe that what others say is important right now must really be important (Buy now! Last chance! You'll never see this offer again!).

Tomorrow:  Water.