By: J. Mason
Online Career Tips Staff
Oh the necessary evil of email. It’s still the #1 way we communicate both in the office and outside of it. Mostly everyone has a smartphone now, so it’s always available at your fingertips; even when you don’t want it to be.
I had an epiphany this week while my computer was being upgraded at work…close out your email. Mine actually crashed while writing an email to a co-worker, and instead of letting it boot up right away I let it stay off. For those 30 uninterrupted minutes I found myself getting work done quicker, because I didn’t have the distracting “BING” noise alerting me to an incoming message. While going through a a couple hours is not possibly, a healthy 30 minutes is a great amount to get minor tasks completed or just to clear your head for a concept you’ve been trying to form.
[related: Make a Priorities List]
If you find yourself getting stuck today go ahead and close out your email; at a time you aren’t expecting a heavy flow of message traffic, of course. Your colleagues know where to find you, so if it’s urgent they can call you or stop by your desk. Try this approach once or twice a week. It takes the stress out of virtual correspondence, and leaves you with a more accomplished feeling later.
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