With so many ways to get in touch, stay in touch, and be in touch these days, it can be truly overwhelming. Whether you use a cell phone, a PDA, a blackberry, raspberry, cranberry or other fruited combination, keeping up with it all can be an art! Until recently, I had the unproductive and time wasting habit of checking email as often as possible. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to stop and instead schedule twice a day checking. In addition, I trained myself to open and reply in one step rather than opening, reading, thinking about it, reopening, thinking some more, and finally replying. Handling each email once and immediately at opening has saved me a lot of time, limiting my email checking to twice a day has really streamlined my productivity and given back my focus on many other more important activities.
I challenge you to take back control of your communication and productivity by scheduling when you check email, limiting it to twice a day, and handling each email once and immediately upon opening. Remember we used to live without it! We used to do business just as successfully with face to face, voice to voice and snail mail.
Take back your day, take back your success!
