Take Control of Your Email!

Do you feel as if you spend half your day processing emails instead of actually working? Marsha Egan, CEO of Inbox.Detox.com says that the average executive can spend more than three hours on email alone. “A full Inbox is an immediate source of stress – it reminds you of everything you’re not going to get done”.

Fight back against the inbox black hole with these five tips:

Turn Off Notifications

Turn off all the pings and pop-ups so that office updates and team circulars don’t distract you from your work. It’s not enough to promise yourself you won’t look—”You have to actually shut them down,” she says, “because you can’t help but wonder who’s trying to reach you.

Choose When You Check In

For maximum productivity, limit your email checks to three times a day: first thing in the morning, after lunch and near the end of the day. If that seems unreasonable, add a mid-morning and mid-afternoon email fix.

Don’t Default to Email

If you need something in less than three hours, “use another mode of communication, such as a phone call or text”. Set a good example and don’t flood inboxes.

Sort Your Messages

Triage your email during your designated ‘checking periods’, responding to the simple and urgent messages, filing away those that don’t need addressing, and flagging the ones that need more thought.