Too Much Email

Today I’ve just had it…always have too much to do on my list and I keep adding more.  Does this sound familiar to you?    Well, I’ve decided to start cutting.

Because I am busy with several different businesses, I don’t remember everything.  My “To Do” list has all the immediate and long-term reminders for both business and personal.  I do a good job in organizing the list, yet it’s still a long list.

I blog so receive numerous emails from others who specialize in blogging.  The information is terrific and too much.  I get emails in my box every day from different sources and there is no way to catch up with the collection.

On my To Do list is to take ½ hour each day to catch up on my informational emails.   Some days it works great and yet there are too many missed days because of other commitments.   So on my To Do list, I kept moving the “read emails” to a new date.  This constant changing of dates only frustrates me as I like to get things done.   I realized I was going about this issue in the wrong way for me.  I need to take care of myself.

I had over 30 emails that I wanted to read when I had some free time and I just highlighted them all and hit the ‘delete’ button.  What a wonderful feeling to have 30 less emails in my box.

I understand the basic concept of Feng Shui where its tenets is to build harmony and balance into our surroundings.    Well my email box was in disharmony…and now I’m feeling better, more in control, even if it’s only for the moment.   Instead of being concerned about missing information, I decided to take care of my psyche.  I was carrying those 30 emails around in my head…have to read them, have to read them…no longer have to read them.  How freeing is that!

Another habit I’ve recently started is to use my morning time to do my writing and leave the email for later in the day.    My clients have my number so anything important they can call me.   This way I take care of the most important work first.   I don’t know about you but most of my emails are not critical to respond to immediately.

Email is great for connecting quickly with others, answering simple questions, and scheduling events.  My major issues with email is hearing the click of another email in my box, which interrupts my thinking and I’m tempted to check my box. Second issue is that I’ve added my name to numerous lists for information on blogging, self-help and whatever interests me in the moment.  .

How do I now deal with these issues?  I check my email at certain times of the day and have shut off the sound on my computer.   Second, I’ve unsubscribed to all mailing lists that don’t serve my immediate need.  If I need information, the internet is great for research.   If I feel that I’m receiving too many emails from someone, even if it is good, I will unsubscribe.

I’m listening to myself and not letting the demand of email dictate how I create my day.  What about you…what’s your relationship with your email box?

Pat
“To fully enjoy the ‘richness’ of our lives, we need to stop long enough to visit with ourselves.”
(Pat Brill)

Tags: managing emails, managing stress

2 Responses to “Too Much Email”

1. Sammy Says:
   June 29th, 2009 at 7:17 pm

   My relationship with my email used to be rather obsessive. I would check it every 2-3 minute. But thats because I was awaiting emails from a friend of mine, we used it to the equivalent of AIM. But now my email is just something I check every so often. Its not imperative for me to check it, except for when I was working and I had many different deadlines. I clean it once in a while. Like the other day I needed to clear up space on my hard drive so I had to go through and delete certain messages. And i kept only the really sentimental ones from my mother, or from my self.

2. Pat Says:
   July 27th, 2009 at 7:47 pm

   Hi Sammy
   Good for you that you managed to put email in it’s place.

   Thanks for sharing.

   Pat

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