Cutting down email… cutting down email… the work, and the progress, continues.
Last week I noted some relapses into checking email too many times a day. This past week was much better, and I only checked email twice a day, except for one day where I checked it 3 times. The restraint still takes some mental effort, but it is becoming more and more natural to me now – email is not urgent… it does not need to be checked often… it is okay not to reply immediately…
Here are some of the things learned and implemented over the last to help manage email:
- Reduce inbox clutter. This has been going much better. Message are being dealt with, replied to, noted for later action and, above all – moved out of the inbox.
- Set up “Tasks” label in Gmail. Just did this today. I had some emails that I’m not going to get to immediately, so I set up a new “Tasks” label that I can use to help me manage these.
- Work email and personal email should follow the same strategy. I’ve been using the same techniques for both personal and work email, and the double reinforcement is paying off. It’s easier to prioritize tasks, empty the inbox, and know when to shut down the email and tuck into something else
Good progress this week, but above all the less-checking of email is getting more and more natural. Now to see how this week goes.
