Earlier today, Mark Northern wrote about "Multitasking vs. "Focus," and it struck a chord with me.

I've been working at Microsoft since 1990, and remember the days when we had to define the word multi-tasking.

In 1990, most office computers had one program running at a time, most phones had one incoming line, voice mail was rare, cell phones were bolted into cars, and working at home consisted of bringing home a file folder or two. Even Fast Company (as a magazine, or even a concept) was unheard of.

My first email account at Microsoft was a text-based terminal server system called Mildred (remember "little r" or "big R" making the difference between reply to sender or reply all?). At that time, paper memos in plastic inboxes and voicemail ruled the day. Few outside work had my email address (and if they did, they had no idea what to do with it!). My inbox consisted of 10-15 emails a day (and no spam!). And replies to emails often took days, since "logging in" wasn't a regular occurrence for most people.

Today, sending an email takes seconds, setting up a meeting is painless, pointing someone to all the information they could ever want is as quick as sending a URL. It all makes working together more efficient, but it significantly raises expectations.

We're expected to answer emails within a few minutes, because we can. Co-workers plan on us accepting every meeting invitation, since our free/busy time is always updated online. Team members forward articles or website links or blog entries they find, and expect us to read what they've read, and know what they know.

What can we do to stay on top of it all?

"Forcing Focus" is a concept that has helped me. Scheduling time out to plan, to work on a project, to organize your inbox, or as Avi Solomon writes "think" has worked for me. Start by blocking out an hour or two (or six!) a day to get work done. Turn off Outlook (blasphemy!), shut the door, ignore the phone. If interruptions by co-workers is a problem, head to a Starbucks or your local library. Sometimes I'll even put a Post It note on the computer monitor reminding me what Im working on so I'm not distracted by things that might be more interesting than a report I'm writing.

So what can you do to free up more time to focus? Bill Jensen has lots of great information in his book I wrote about a presentation he gave to our team on my personal blog. Some of my favorites from his recent "Simplicity Survival Handbook":

1. Ignore Most Corporate Communications: Scan the article for two bits of information: Action you must take, and deadline. If it doesn't contain an action and a short-term date, ignore it.

2. Delete 75% of your Emails: Scan your emails, and if BOTH the Sender and Subject don't make you think I have to read or at least scan this today, delete the message. Next, look for Action and Deadline, and delete those items that don't contain both.

3. Write Shorter Emails for Better Results. Fit everything someone needs to know in the top part of the email: CLEAR: How it's Connected to them, a List of next steps--what you want them to do, what are your Expectations, the Ability to get it done--what tools or support they need, and what they get in Return.

4. Go to Fewer Meetings, and Get More Out of Them: Before attending, ask yourself: How much value will I get out of it (my ROI); How much value can I contribute to this meeting (team or company ROI), and if I were hit by a bus, would the meeting happen without me.

What do you do to make sure you have time to do what needs to get done?