Remember when the words “You’ve got mail!” elicited warm fuzzies and evoked images of Meg Ryan? Maybe it’s just me. Either way, not anymore.
Most people would agree email is a major source of anxiety and frustration (unless you’re reading Dawn, in which case AWESOME! Email is the best!)
If you’ve had enough, here are 5 proven ways to get on track so you don’t lose 28% of your work day. (True story.)
Twenty-eight percent?! Why?
Procrastination, avoidance, bad habits, the obsessive pursuit of Inbox Zero...there are many reasons. Clearly we can do better.
Tell me how.
Check in hourly. You’ll save at least 21 minutes a day. The average professional checks every 37 minutes. If you want to see the math, be our guest.
Abide by the single-touch rule. Archive, archive, archive. Rereading email subjects and previews as you skim your crowded inbox can cost you upwards of 27 minutes a day.
Ditch Kondo-ing email. Organizing with multiple folders costs an average of 14 minutes each day. If you must organize, keep two folders: one for emails that require action and one for messages that you’ll need to read again at a later date. Otherwise, archive and search.
Turn off notifications. Those precious seconds add up. So do the minutes needed to get your momentum back. Eyes on the prize. So long, notifications.
Track your time management. It’s hard to optimise what you can’t measure. We love RescueTime.
Two other easy ways to cut down on email? Pick up the phone or walk across the office. Everyone wins when lazy email dies.
WANT TO GET NERDY? Read up on the nitty-gritty of electronic headache fodder.