Fact Friday: We Are Controlled by E-mail

On June 15, 2012, in Fact Friday, Technology, by Deb Lee, Certified Professional Organizer®
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“But it’s become a serious problem. When we don’t control our email habit, we are controlled by it. Email pours in, with no break to its flow. And like addicts, we check it incessantly, drawing ourselves away from meetings, conversations, personal time, or whatever is right in front of us.”

Read More:
Coping With E-mail Overload | HBR.org | 4.26.12

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  • Anita

    Excellent article. Thanks for sharing it on your blog. I feel relieved just thinking about implementing this new approach to email and eliminating the email overload we all feel. 

  • http://organizetorevitalize.com Deb Lee

    Glad you found it helpful, @94ae96af55c67f2547389b52257de098:disqus. Would love to hear how things go as you tackle your inbox.

  • http://www.janetbarclay.com/ Janet Barclay

    It’s true. Unfortunately, some of it really does require attention, though perhaps not as immediately as we think. 

    I’ve received emails from people, then efficiently added an appropriate action to my task list and filed the email away for when I’m working on it, but then I get a second email asking if I received the first one. A fair question, especially if a few days go by, but I don’t appreciate people following up at 8 AM to an email they sent the previous evening. It’s people like that who make us feel we HAVE to be constantly checking and responding, when maybe THEY are the ones who need to change their ways…

  • http://organizetorevitalize.com Deb Lee

    @JanetBarclay:twitter I agree with you about the follow up e-mail. I think the speed of e-mail makes us think that we should get an immediate response. And, if we often reply immediately (i.e., after hours), that exacerbates the problem. So, we need to be mindful of that fine line between timely replies (and good customer service) and be constantly tethered. I promise not to send you double e-mails! =)

  • http://www.janetbarclay.com/ Janet Barclay

    When I choose to reply during “off hours” I usually use the “Delay Delivery” feature of Outlook so my response doesn’t actually go out until the next business day. That way I don’t reinforce the idea that I’m available at those times and I also don’t have to deal with any further emails or phone calls until I’m officially at work again.

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