We all love to be wanted and I know how easy it is to become attached to the beep or little blue Outlook bubble that lets you know new email has arrived. I also know how hard it is to resist taking a peek to see who it’s from. But – it’s a distraction. Instead of allowing your Inbox to control your day try setting regular reading times. Don’t know how? Each program will be slightly different, but in Outlook, go Tools, Options, Preferences, Email Options, Advanced Email Options to remove all the notifiers – beep, cursor, envelope and desk-top alert.
Now with the notifications turned off you can decide when it suits you best to read emails. I suggest you read them in batches, perhaps every couple of hours.
But the best way to stop email eating into your precious time is to create a new habit of not taking immediate action on emails when you first read them unless they are truly urgent. Instead, put those actions on your to-do list…. Find out how in my next blog! Keep an eye out :)
