Have a better relationship with email #reclaimtime

Recently and not for the first time, my medium feed contained three separate stories relating to time management. It’s a common theme and there are hundreds of recommendations around the topic. But more specifically all three articles were on the theme of email and how all consuming and detrimental it can be to your day. I agree and I felt that my day starts and stops with the denseness of my inbox.

One post I scanned was asking how technically, or via a selection of apps can you receive emails periodically instead of constantly. I like the idea but felt its a bit overkill. Other readers commented similarly, like “just don’t have your email client open all day".

Email is like an electronic letter, actually email is an electronic letter. When previously we were content to receive letters once a day we now require constant updates, information and new direction. For some, no many this is 24/7. Me included. So by applying some structure and a splash of will power, I aimed to defeat my email nemesis.

Having read a little more on the subject, and ignoring several big name teams that were building the next generation of email (all paid services) I decided to run a test. I aiming for the nirvana of Inbox Zero by strictly dedicating three email periods a day only. No reading emails outside of this period and definitely no new message notifications.

Using (perhaps ironically) outlook calender, I blocked out 0800- 0945, 1300-1400 and 1700-1800 hrs every weekday. Outside of these times I gave myself the freedom to concentrate on everything else, or in theory nothing.

But what if I needed a document or phone number from my inbox?

I decided that finding any required information was allowed. The idea of the exercise was to increase efficiency not hinder it. But definitely no reading new messages. Let’s see.

Initial feedback:

1. It as a great feeling to close my inbox down. Difficult to leave some emails unread but I only had to wait 2–3 hours until the next dedicated inbox period.
2. I soon created a little system of opening several emails that I knew were on the same subject, like job applications. I would open all the CV attachments but then leave them ready to process once my inbox actions were done.
3. It was definitely the right move to allow myself access to information from the inbox when needed. This meant NOT shutting down the inbox but minimising. This posed the problem of how to avoid getting distracted.
4. If you not available during inbox action times, try to start earlier to avoid any build-up. I liked to do this on the train heading to work especially.

How did it go?

The first couple of days were tough as I had to ignore emails (for a few hours) and avoid getting distracted by new emails outside of inbox times. But there was a feeling of control in doing this and by having 3–4 hours dedicated to actioning emails, I could convince myself that I was giving more, not less time to the task.

By the end day two, so inbox attack number 6, I was effectively at inbox ‘zero’. Everything that needed a response had it, anything new was dealt with immediately during inbox times and otherwise within a few hours. It was surprising (possibly not) the number of ‘older’ emails that should have had attention but were ignored/lost/forgotten forever!

By day three, it’s 530pm and mid-inbox actioning time. Im bored, inbox clear! I’m free to find the next thing that needs attention who would have thought.

So gains all-round. In fact I’m writing this instead of working through my inbox, because they are already done!