4. You let them know their call is important to you.

5. And you asked for a detailed message.

Asking for a detailed message is very important. It allows you to be prepared when you return their call by knowing what they were calling about. It also prevents a lot of time lost playing telephone tag. If caller leaves you enough detail, you may be able to take care of their request, and when you return their call, should you get their recorder, simply be able to leave a message that you accomplished task.

Here are a few rules to go by when answering phone and recording an answering machine message.

1. Your answering machine message should be in an adult voice. Having your children on your answering machine may be cute, but it is unprofessional.

2. Make sure room is quiet when you record your answering machine message. Noises from children, window air conditioners, televisions, radios, refrigerators and like are distracting to caller.

3. Never let your younger children answer phone. Older teenagers should be trained to answer phone in manner described in this article.

4. Unless you have equipment to professionally dub music, do not play music on your answering machine message. It sounds terrible, is distracting, and is unprofessional.

5. When you are available, answer every call. People want immediate response.

6. Answer all calls in manner described herein. Even if it is your closest friend or a member of your organization you speak to several times daily. This does two things. First, it keeps you in habit. Secondly, it sets an example for members of your organization.

By following these few simple rules, you will make best first impression possible.

3. 'What-haven't-I-done-itis'. When I worked for advertising agencies, every Christmas was blighted by worries of what I may have forgotten, what I may have rushed and done wrong, what other people may have messed up and so on. It was only in my last couple of years that I cracked problem. I made lists. Big lists. I wrote down everything that needed to be thought about from December 1st onwards. If I had a newspaper campaign running I would call every paper to double check ad positions. And I would write down answers. I became obsessive about detail. And it worked. On Christmas Eve I would make two copies of all my notes, leave one on my desk and take other home, locked in my briefcase. Then, when demon thought sprang up during Christmas lunch that I had forgotten something vital, I knew I had it covered - and had evidence to prove it to myself.

Funnily enough, just knowing that it was there made me forget about it completely and enjoy my holiday.

The moral of story is - don't plan for Christmas Eve, plan for days you will be home worrying.

4. Photocopiers and backsides. It might sound like fun, especially after a few beers. Don't go there. That glass can splinter! And even if it doesn't, do you really want evidence of a drunken moment to haunt your career for years? There is always someone who has had a few less drinks than you who thinks it's amusing to hang on to evidence.

Have a laugh, but try not to lose all your inhibitions. A broken photocopier could be least of your worries!

'Call a truce, then, to our labours let us feast with friends and neighbours, And be merry as custom of our caste; For if "faint and forced laughter," and if sadness follow after, We are richer by one mocking Christmas past.'

> Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), author, poet. Christmas in India.

Christmas is a lovely time if worries about work don't poison it for you. Try to plan ahead and have yourself a very merry Christmas this year.