Email Overload
The path to a peace of mind is to set up your own personal system of habits, rather than letting emails control you!
We all know that its technology that interrupts our thought pattern and takes us off track, as anyone at any time can get hold of you. Even if you turn off the alerts, Emails still keep coming like a to-do list that anybody can add to at any giving time of the day or night. By instinctively replying to all these messages straight away you are allowing someone else to manage you. This is were setting out time’s and a system for you that works will really benefit you in the long run.
Declare a backlog, if your a busy person and just don’t get time for emails you can end up with hundreds waiting for a reply. Don’t stress just pick a recent date – Say two weeks prior – and move every email before that date into a folder Titled “backlog”. That way you only have the recent two weeks to work on and the backlog can be scheduled into your day as another task. this will get you up to date little quicker and keep you from stressing out.
Your inbox is just that. With each new email that comes into your inbox, you should be doing one of four things, Delete it, archive it, respond to it then archive it, or add it to a task to do later and then archive it. Either way, once it’s been read an no longer active it leaves your inbox.
Answer messages on your schedule. We often get caught up with replying that we don't get much else done, therefore your constantly interrupting yourself. So plan a time in the day maybe 1 hour twice a day to reply solely to emails. Never do it first thing always start with a task you like or enjoy Puts you into a better mindset.
Don’t answer every email. We all get those emails that are wasting our time, It’s Not a crime to ignore a message. It’s about weighing up the outcome and time spent replying to not replying and what the consequence of it. There are just some people you would not ignore like a boss or a huge opportunity. It’s about weighing up what its worth to you.