Email Focusers
“Curiouser and Curioser,” cried Alice (Alice-in-Wonderland) in her interest and confusion at all the goings on. I can relate to that feeling when confronted with the hundreds of emails that daily pour into my in-box. With two spam filters, these sneaky enticements still make their way through. Yet I’ve determined rather than view them as time wasters, to see them as time focusers
for rechoosing my priorities.
The Good Night release When you get offerings via email, a quick glance can tell you whether they are in line with your current needs or not. If you receive junk mail, of course a quick delete is needed. If emails are personal notes from family or friends, read and respond first thing in the morning, during a quick break, or late in the day - but don’t let them disrupt your work flow.
Arte de Roubar download It’s the many training and marketing opportunities that you have to be careful not to let sidetrack you. If your business objectives and next steps are clear, you’ll know whether time and dollars can be allocated and to what. For example, do you have a pending speaking engagement? Would, for example, Doug Stevenson’s storytelling speaking training be useful at this time or not? It’s valuable. But you need to know your focus so you can invest your energy and finances when you’re ready and not always feel sidetracked by the next best thing. If it’s something you’d consider within the next 90 days, go ahead and make a side folder in your email program to save it, or just note on your calendar to recontact the organization at that time. Then delete other offerings unless they also pertain to speaking training you’re now considering. Don’t save emails that sound interesting unless you’re ready to take action on them now or in the very near future.
Email becomes a distraction when we don’t know what’s important to us. When you have a clear sense of direction, you can spot the targeted support emails or those that don’t apply to you now. Quick replies or deletes allow your mailbox to return to one that is streamlined and a helpful rather than burdensome process.
What hints can you provide for email management?
