Question: Help! I’m drowning in incoming email.  I start opening email in the morning and soon hours have passed and I haven’t done anything but sift through email.  How can I both manage my email and get my work done?

Answer: This is a very common challenge.  Here are some tips for getting in control of your email and assuring you have time to work:

• Don’t start your day by opening your inbox.  Get something, perhaps the most important something, done from your task list first.  This assures you’ve met one of the day’s goals before you delve into your inbox.
• Reduce the frequency you check email.  Checking email every few minutes when you’re trying to stay focused on your work is a very distracting and costly behavior.  Experiment working in 25-90 minute sessions without checking email.  You’ll be surprised at how much you can get done and how the quality of your work improves without so much distraction.
• Turn off notification sounds and icons.  These notifications, even just hearing or glancing at them, can cost hours a day in lost productivity.  Take control of your email and check you inbox on your terms.

Want more tips for increasing productivity by establishing better email habits?  Contact Simply Placed and request an email intervention.