Like many of you, I am vulnerable to the distraction of email. Here’s a
method I’ve been trying out and finding helpful:
1)
Figure out how
much time you will spend catching up with your email. Let’s say, for example,
30 minutes, and the number of emails you will process during that time. Let’s
say 30, on the assumption that some will require a few minutes to read and answer,
and some will be instantly disposable or forwarded.
2)
Set a timer for
that period of time.
3)
When the timer
rings or buzzes, if you’ve reached your goal, congratulate yourself and move on
to the next task. If you didn’t, give yourself an additional five minutes
(only!) to process however many emails you have left on your goal.
(If you want to be more productive, you'll find a complete program for better productivity in my book, "Focus: the power of targeted thinking." It's published by Pearson and you can find it on Amazon and other online and offline retailers.)
