Just imagine if we could all increase our IQ’s by ten points!
We would get more done. Get it done faster. Make fewer mistakes. Wouldn’t have to do so many things over again. Have more time to do other things. Like breathe. A big boost to morale and productivity.
There is a VERY easy way to do it!
Just listen to this excerpt from a Business Class interview with Randy Dean, author of Taming the E-Mail Beast. Only 47 seconds long. Push the “play” button (far left on bottom of image below) to hear it.
That’s it? Just stop checking messages so much?
But how?
One way is for you to lead the way in reducing the volume. Yes – stop sending e-mails!
Then there are the other standard ways you may have heard, but may not have done.
- Turn down the sound. Even better – turn it off.
- Turn off the visual images that tell you a new e-mail has arrived.
- Adjust the automatic download frequency. Randy suggests changing this to 90 minutes
in order to give us 90 blocks of un-interrupted time to focus. That’s what makes us smarter!
Notes for 1 & 2: Both of these are easy changes – at least they are in Outlook 2007. Just follow this path: Tools>Options>Preferences>E-Mail Options>Advanced E-Mail Options>When New Items Arrive.
for #3: For Outlook 2007, follow this path: Tools/Options/Mail Set-Up/Send/Receive. This adjustment is just for automatic downloading of e-mail. You can still press the “Send/Receive” button and get immediate downloads at any time.
You may be shaking your head right now. Maybe saying to yourself, “Nope – this won’t work for me. I need to be more responsive than this. What if a client needs me? What if my boss needs me? “
I hear ya on that one.
But then again, what about that project you are working on for a client? And that big one your boss asked you to do? The ones you haven’t gotten to yet because you haven’t been able to concentrate on them long enough. How responsive is that?
Hmm. Randy has some helpful words of wisdom for us on how to handle this tough balancing act. Listen to this 35-second excerpt.
Randy goes on to talk about the importance of managing the expectations of clients, colleagues and others who send you e-mail. Plus much much more!
You can hear the entire 45 minute interview with Randy. Just provide your name and email address* below. You’ll receive the link for the download via email shortly.
P.S. Be sure to order the book and get all 45 of Randy’s tips for managing email plus many, many bonus items by clicking here.
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copyright 2009 – Business Class Inc
