Time Management Tip: Control your email
A few years ago I got really frustrated with my phone. I loved having the ability to check email, scroll through social media, and stay connected to friends, but I felt panicked every time one of those little red bubbles would show up, telling me I had an unread SOMETHING to take care of. Instead of tossing my phone in the trash like I was tempted to do, I went into the settings and turned off all the notifications. All of them. I know when I get a phone call or a text, but other than that, I don’t know what I have waiting until I open the app.
That small step has helped me realize that the things that come into my email inbox are usually not as urgent as they appear. I can wait a day or two to respond, and it’s okay if I don’t get to everything right away. Whether you need to create some folders in your inbox to keep things organized, choose one day of the week to clear out your inbox, or turn off the notifications that are slowly making you crazy, do what you need to do today to take control of your inbox. (You might even need to go back to our “outsource” tip and hire someone to help you with your inbox if it feels particularly overwhelming – a lot of virtual assistants love to help with that kind of task!).
Inspiration: “You will never plow a field if you only turn it over in your mind.” —Irish Proverb
Resource (affiliate link): Amazon Echo
This might not seem like a typical time management resource, but the tasks that Alexa can help with might just save you from adding more emails to your inbox. Or at least give you some good tunes to jam out to while you clear out those emails you’ve been saving since 2007 (it’s time. Let them go.)
