Nine resolutions for 2009

Articles on the Microsoft NHS Resource Centre are full of good ideas, tips and tricks. But it can be difficult to keep track of them all. We’ve combed through some of the features published over the last twelve months to come up with nine resolutions to make working life nicer, safer, greener and something to cheer about in 2009.

1. Get comfortable at work! Remove obstacles from under your desk to make sure you have space to sit comfortably – and from on top of it so you can position your keyboard and monitor properly to reduce muscle and eye strains.
2. Take regular breaks: Every 30 minutes, take a break from your computer, stand up and stretch. You may get odd looks, but you’ll also reduce the risk of stress, aches and pains. For more tips on working with computers, see our feature: Are you sitting comfortably? Avoiding aches and strains when using IT.
3. Don’t let the computer take over your consultation! Changing the layout of your consulting or treatment room can make a big difference: and so can telling patients what you are doing if you do need to concentrate on the screen. For more tips, see our feature: Mind your Ps and Cs: the etiquette of computer use.
4. Think before you send that email. Before you press send on that joke from your less-than-savoury mate down the pub, double check who the recipients are. And never send emails in a fit of pique. Re-read everything, and if you’re not sure about it, pop round and see the potential recipient with a cup of tea. This solves most things.
5. Keep it clean! Another of life’s little embarrassments is sending out a document with comments, notes and annotations still included. So remember to clear them first. Better still, use the nifty “Document Inspector” in Office 2007, which clears your document of inappropriate comments with one click. For more information about the features of Office 2007, see our feature: Welcome to Office 2007. Or why not investigate our free, online training?
6. Keep it secure. Stop clicking on links in emails. You haven’t won the lottery, the joke isn’t that funny and there’s no “once in a lifetime bargain” to be had. The one thing that is certain is that clicking links in emails can spread viruses, Trojans and other nasty computer infections. This tip comes from: Sidewinder on how not to get too click happy. But all the Sidewinder columns have great information about security. 
7. Don’t lose that laptop! Encryption might protect the data, and biometrics might keep the casual thief out of bounds, but if your laptop is stolen you’re still one laptop short of a usable computer. When it’s not in use, best leave it safely locked away. Microsoft’s Vista operating system comes with Bitlocker drive encryption, as Microsoft expert Richard Lane explains in his article. Read what he had to say...
8. Turn off your computer at night. It might sound obvious, but research has suggested that 60 per cent of office workers don’t turn off their machines at the end of the day – and that means an awful lot of power and money is being wasted.
9. Avoid printing altogether. See if your organisation has an intranet for sharing information, and whether there are screens and projectors in meeting rooms so you don’t have to distribute notes at a meeting. If you have to print, use both sides and get as many pages of a document on each side as you can. Our new Green Scene column will have lots of tips for going greener in the New Year. Watch out for them!