Monday, December 23, 2013

I Fought Email...and Email Won


I've spent a lot of time griping about email. I've complained that I couldn't get any work done because of my Inbox problem. Certainly no on else could be experiencing what I was going through, right? I mean, seriously, I get a lot of email. There must be a better way!?!?

Options
It turns out there are some slick tools out there nowadays to help with this problem like this and this. But does using these tools mean no one is going to email me anymore?

Uh, no.

Maybe a better option is to unsubscribe from every single thing I can in order to dramatically reduce the cyber tidal wave that hits every day. It turns out I did that already...and I'm still getting email.

I've even read a bunch of posts about how to tame my Inbox that included priceless tips like "only check your Inbox twice a day." Thanks very much for that keen insight. That system actually works as long as each of your check-ins lasts two hours.

Not very helpful advice, or realistic in my email-is-preferred-communication universe.

Perhaps I am my own worst enemy? Could I be sending too much email, and thus getting back four, five or even ten-fold the number of emails in return? I have tried to limit what I send and use the phone instead, but alas they keep coming.

A Bold Decision
After years of wrestling with this daily foe, I decided to take a dramatic step in my work life and bring this battle to an end once and for all...

I work on email all damn day now. 

I do email before I leave for work. I do email walking to meetings. I respond to email in the stairwell (I'm a big stairs guy...elevators are lame.) I do emails in meetings (I know, I know...totally unprofessional...). I answer email at 5:00 in the morning and at 9:00 at night. 

How About You
The epic struggle is finally over! Hallelujah! It's time to take to the streets and celebrate!

Not really. Email won.

Dang it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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