David Cameron bans mobile phones from Cabinet meetings

Quite right too.

I'm sure the business of running the country is more important than whatever might justify a mobile phone going off in a Cabinet meeting.  If World War III is declared I'm sure someone will interrupt to let them know.

There's nothing more annoying than being in a meeting or having a discussion when you get interrupted by a mobile phone going off.

Not only is it polite to switch off your mobile while in a meeting but it shows that you respect the other person or people that you're with and you're paying attention to them and not being distracted by something else.  Your priority and your attention should be the person in front of you.

Get into the habit of switching your mobile off or to silent mode when you go into a meeting.  If you're running a meeting make sure you ask people to switch off their mobiles at the start of the meeting.

If you really are expecting an urgent call, let the person know that you may be interrupted and that you'll need to take the call but you can still turn the volume down or set it to vibrate.

There's a time and place for mobiles - don't let them take over.

May Newsletter: Decision Making Made Easy

Many people find great excuses for putting things off when they have a decision to make. They're worried about making the wrong decision.

While a little procrastination can be useful, making the right decision can take time. You need space to mull over the options, or wait until you're in the right frame of mind. Sometimes, when you delay a decision the correct path becomes clearer.

But there are the times you get paralysed. Unable to make a decision when you really need to. You waste time going round in circles and getting nowhere fast.

Here's how to break the cycle of indecision ...

You can read the rest of the article in this month's newsletter, just register on my website or click here. Free tips, advice, information and news on how to improve your time management for your business and personal life direct to your inbox.

PLUS:Time Management For Dummies Audiobook now available.

Business Card Tips

Business cards are a compact marketing tool for your business but not all business cards are created equal.  Here are a few things to think about when creating yours:

• Pay the extra £10 to have 'vistaprint' removed from the back of your 'free' business cards.  Your budget might be tight and 'free' business cards are a great stop gap when you first get started but it's worth paying a little extra for a bit more of a business-like look.

• Think twice about using a shiny, gloss finish or laminating them.  Sometimes it's useful to be able to write on someone's business card and you can't do this on a shiny surface.

• Get yourself a professional email address.  If you've gone to the trouble of creating a website and listing it on your card, why use a gmail, yahoo or hotmail address?  Set one up that reflects your business.

• Use both sides - the additional space on the back of your business card can be useful to list your services or a tagline or phrase that describes your business.  Don't clutter up your card too much though.  A little blank space or white area can be useful for notes.

• Make it easy to read - pale or fancy fonts, while they might seem quirky or a good idea, are difficult to read.

• Don't be shy, make it easy for them to contact you.  Include a landline and mobile phone number.  Include your email address - especially if you have a website.

• If you do have a website or email address on your card for goodness sake, make sure it works.  I've come across too many invalid or bookmarked websites and non-existent email addresses.