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Email is one of the best -- and worst -- things to happen to organizations. In addition to bringing customers and colleagues from around the globe to your door in an instant, it provides a kind of virtual collaboration that's unbeatable. But it's also a thief that gobbles up time and creates information overload for most users. And many of us are going out and asking to be robbed, inviting the thief into our lives. In some cases, it's because we're bored with the paperwork we don't really want to do, or overwhelmed with data and deadlines, and looking for a simple task that affords an escape. Others among us can't resist seeing our own words on the screen, and so we spill time like an old cup of coffee. Whatever your scenario, here are four simple rules to help you take back your life:
- Set up one or two periods each day when you check your personal email. Outside of those times, banish personal email from your work day.
- Use your computer files judiciously. Store the message there immediately or delete. Be diligent about the, "I might need it someday," cyber-hoarding mentality.
- Be frugal with your emails. If what you have to say isn't really important, don't say it. Lots of people will thank you.