Do any of the following apply to you?
- Stay logged onto your internet email account throughout the day. You press your refresh button at least once every half hour.
- You keep your Android on 24/7. It’s normal for you to run to it even in the middle of the night on hearing the sound ‘ping’. Perhaps you also keep it next to your bedside.
- Checking emails before having your first sip of coffee in the morning or bring in the newspapers from the door.
- Even if you’re busy, you must put everything aside to answer the email.
- You have Facebook, LinkedIn or any other social/professional site application installed on your mobile and text on the go. The fear of missing out is real.
- It’s been over 6 months since you saw your friends or spoken to them by telephone. Yet you know what is going on in their lives thanks to emails, Facebook and other social network sites email alerts.
If you answered yes to more than two of the above, then you might be heading to be the latest casualty of this syndrome.
Please do some self-management before you need to call in the professionals or join an Email Anonymous Group for a 12 Step Program.
Email Overwhelm is a known Social Disorder!
The ‘You’ve got email’ syndrome or email overwhelm is a known disorder impacting our lives. It’s a key area to be addressed in effective time management.
Modern communication has its benefits but when technology overtakes us, it is time to reassess where we are heading.
Not only in terms of relationships and support systems, but also to enhance the quality of our life and effective time management. You can learn more about support to get your time under control here.
Complete abstinence is not required. Self-management goes a long way to reclaiming your time and making email reading and website tracking an enjoyable relaxing activity.
How to tame your email anxiety and inbox
I often challenge people who complain about the Blackberry responses taking away quality time from their family and personal lives to switch off the Blackberry on a Saturday midnight. They need to resist turning it on till Monday morning.
To date none have been successful completely and terms were renegotiated till Sunday midnight.
Despite complaints of anxiety and withdrawal symptoms, they realized that a few hours away from the outside world enabled them to have quality Me and family time.
This helped them overcome guilt of neglecting the important people and things in their lives at least on a Sunday.
For those working from home, it helps to schedule specific times during the day dedicated solely to email checking. And refraining from logging onto the computer before that morning cup of coffee.
To make your efforts reap results, schedule the times in your diaries or time planner.
Controlling the impulse rather being controlled
Use filters to organize incoming emails into different categories. That way, even if you cannot resist the impulse, you can endeavor to read only those emails that land in your important folders.
Make different email accounts for different types of emails; business, personal and subscriptions/newsletters to assist the sorting out process and ensure that you don’t miss the important emails.
Once you action your email, delete it or transfer it to another folder so that your Inbox only shows recent mails.
Schedule deleting emails over one year of age.
Revisit your email subscriptions and remove those that are not relevant to you at this point in life.
Disable email alerts for networking sites or restrict them to a once-a-week notification.
Reclaim your time and life!
Ever suffered from email overwhelm? What steps did you take to overcome it?
Obsession with your Inbox is also an indicator of bad time management and priorities. Take it from someone who’s been there and done that. This resource will help you – guaranteed!
Posts
I adhere to the Certified Coaches Alliance Code of Ethics and Standards. A copy is available on request.
Email: