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September 30, 2008
How often should you check email?
One of the most common questions I get as a GTD instructor is how often to check email. I usually answer, "It depends." This usually annoys the people who wanted to be told really clear boundaries OR delights the people who don't want to feel bad that they think they check it too often. Here's why I say it depends.
By its nature, processing email is one of the 3 ways we spend our time. It's what GTD calls "Defining Work" time (p.50 of GTD book.) We all need time to process new inputs. How often you should check email is hugely dependent on other factors, like:
What's your job? If you are in a service or sales role for example, you'll stress yourself and miss potential opportunities if you impose unrealistic limits on how often to check. If much of your work shows up on email, you probably need to stay pretty close to what's showing up in your Inbox. If you are not in this kind of customer facing position, then you may not need to check as often. You'll know best.
What are the company guidelines? Does the company expect a 15 minute turnaround time or 15 day? Big difference. Whenever I facilitate that conversation in companies, it's amazing to hear the difference in understanding even among people in the same jobs and on the same team. Guess where many team conflicts stem from--simple misunderstanding like this over guidelines.
Are you checking to avoid doing something else? I'm certainly guilty of this one. Send/Receive does not disappoint for bringing something potentially easier and more interesting. By the way, this then moves into doing work as it appears.
What's your pre-defined work like? If you're constantly checking email and not looking at what's on your lists, there's probably an opportunity to step away from the Inbox more often to tackle what else your job requires you to do.
I do one big sweep of my email, bringing my Inbox to zero, once in the morning and once in the evening. And then I'm snacking on what shows up during the day. Some days, I'm in my Inbox a ton. Other days, if I have a bunch of meetings, that morning and evening time is critical to bring it back under control. Your job may be different though.
Hopefully this has given you some food for thought. Now go check your email. Maybe something more interesting showed up while you were reading this blog.
Cheers.
Posted by Kelly at 03:17 PM | Comments (3)
September 23, 2008
What is (and is not) GTD
Getting Things Done is not about any particular tool - it's about defining your work in a way that keeps it clear, current and negotiable. - David Allen
Posted by Kelly at 01:28 PM | Comments (5)
September 09, 2008
A day with no new input
Let's pretend that today is a day where you will get no new input. No email will arrive. No one will try to chat online with you. No newspapers will land on your doorstep. No colleagues will want to meet or talk to you. Your phones will not ring and there will be no blogs to read. Yes, you still have a job, family and a life--but the floodgates of new input have stopped--at least temporarily. Now, consider:
* What is the most impactful thing you can choose to do right now?
* What in your heart of hearts have you been hoping to have more time for?
* What does your staff want you to be looking at and giving attention to?
* What's the best use of your time right now for the company goals?
* What would your family want you to choose?
Will you have many days when new input stops coming in? Not likely. But I think it's an interesting exercise to take yourself out of latest and loudest to get some new perspective.
It's amazing to me how many people keep themselves chained to their Inboxes at the expense of what their gut tells them they really should/could be working on instead. Who knows why:
* Fear of missing out?
* Hope something more interesting might show up?
* What if I'm not good at the thing I think I should be doing?
* Chance something easier to work on will arrive?
* The company culture rewards speed over quality?
* Makes us feel busy and important to have so many people needing us?
I'm not saying latest and loudest (or email for that matter) is a bad thing or not a key part of your job. Sometimes though, it becomes a busy trap and holds us back from doing something that has far greater results.
Posted by Kelly at 11:14 AM | Comments (5)
