Email Kills Productivity

    

In Laura Vanderkam’s book, 168 Hours, Laura recommends creating a time log over one week.  I took her advice and tracked my every move for seven days.  Overall, I was pretty good. I blocked off time for big projects, made time for my family and got some exercise.  The problem - I checked email all the time.

I checked email during team meetings, with my family and while working on my big projects. I checked in between other tasks, during 1:1 meetings and while reading to my kids.  The red Xs are the times I checked email.  I’m actually being forgiving.  The whole page should be red Xs.

I can’t multitask very well, but I do switch really well.   But, all that switching kills productivity.  Email makes you switch.  Switch from an important project to a quick email check.  Switch from a conversation to an email response.  Switch from keeping your eyes on the road to reading email. 

Here’s what I’ve done to focus.

  1. Scheduled time for email.
  2. Set up filters.
  3. Unsubscribed from all eNewsletters and other unwanted messages.
  4. Responded with quick replies.
  5. Stopped checking. Started creating something, relaxed, talked and lived.

How do you manage email?

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