“Addicted to the Ding”

Freeing Yourself from the Tyranny of Your Email Inbox
- Randy Pierce, McGhee Productivity Solutions

Are you, or is someone you know addicted to the ding, the audible notice that there is another new e-mail message in your inbox? We have found that many of our Clients are spending hours "doing e-mail," whether at their desks or away from their offices on their PDAs. E-mail may not represent a true addiction, but you’d probably agree there is an addictive quality to the inbox.  So how did e-mail become so addictive, and what can we do about it?

Eliminate the Stimulus: Like Pavlov's dogs, many of us simply become conditioned to respond to the sound of the bell. These alarms presume, however, that whatever lands in your inbox is more important than what you may be doing at that moment. Furthermore, as human beings, we tend to pay attention to the most distracting element in our environment, so for those of you who have your "dingers" turned on, we urge you to turn them off. By eliminating the stimulus, you will go a long way toward eliminating the associated response.

Use Email for the Right Purposes: All too often, "living in the inbox" can be a sign of poor boundaries and unclear communication protocols. To reduce your e-mail volume and the temptation to respond immediately, be aware of the type of information being communicated through e-mail. High volume and poor quality communication are created when people use e-mail for complex activities such as decision making, problem solving, brainstorming, or delivery of emotionally charged content.  E-mail is best used for:

• Communicating decisions that have already been confirmed
• Disseminating information
• Simple delegation
• A quick response to simple requests for information  

Hitting the send button multiple times throughout the day may provide a sense of completion but are your e-mails truly a reflection of your most important priorities? We suggest you evaluate your productivity based on the completion of steps you take towards achieving your major goals. In so doing, you’ll find it easier to manage the reactive response and instead focus on a proactive approach to getting the right things done at the right time.