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Email Overload and Interruptive Communications

Posted on February 21, 2007 by Jeremy Toeman

I try to avoid re-posting content, but this list of ways to deal with email overload was too good to ignore.  Original source is CNN/reuters:

  1. Admit that e-mail is managing you. Let go of your need to check e-mail every ten minutes.
  2. Commit to keeping your inbox empty.
  3. Create files where you can put inbox material that needs to be acted on.
  4. Make broad headings for your filing system so that you have to spend less time looking for filed material.
  5. Deal immediately with any e-mail that can be handled in two minutes or less but create a file for mails that will take longer.
  6. Set a target date to empty your in box. Don’t spend more than an hour at a time doing it.
  7. Turn off automatic send/receive.
  8. Establish regular times to review your e-mail.
  9. Involve others in conquering your addiction.
  10. Reduce the amount of e-mail you receive.
  11. Save time by using only one subject per e-mail; delete extra comments from forwarded e-mail, and make the subject line detailed.
  12. Celebrate taking a new approach to e-mail.

I’ve actually adopted #1 and #7 in the past two weeks, I must say, it’s been wonderful.  I’ve come out against CrackBerries BlackBerries many times before, and I’m starting to really crystallize my thoughts on what it is I don’t like about the most recent innovations in communication technology (especially IMing, SMS/texting, email, mobile email, and even things like call-waiting): these are all forms of communication which are all about being interruptive.

So my auto-email updater is now off.  IM is on, but I ignore it a lot when I am focusing on something, and I may soon turn it off more often.  I like SMS, but can also easily ignore it.  I do try to avoid call-waiting (except when the wife calls) as much as I can.  I’m not perfect at any of these things, but I’m trying.  I think I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle, it seems as if the world is shifting into a mode where interruption is not just happening, but accepted and even encouraged.

I’d like to hope that we’re at the extreme end of the pendulum on these behaviors.  I’d like to think people will shift back toward the middle.  A little less phone calls in the movie theaters and at the restaurants.  A few fewer Swiss Army Knives mounted to peoples’ ears at all occasions (psst, I mean bluetooth headsets).  Maybe the little red blinky light on the BlackBerry can just keep going off throughout dinner?  Or we can try to stop saying “hey, hold on just a sec, I wanna grab this call.”  Can we please?

The first step is admitting you have a problem.

My name is Jeremy.  It’s been 9 minutes since I’ve checked email, and I have 411 unread emails in my inbox.

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3 thoughts on “Email Overload and Interruptive Communications”

  1. Gold says:
    February 21, 2007 at 9:21 am

    It seems odd to me that a person would not want some silence in their lives. All phone calls are not important; rare that a missed phone call will result in catastrophe…why does someone even need ‘call waiting’? INSTANT has become the key word for today’s society. I’ve never known a time such as this when people feel the need to be in contact constantly in every medium possible. Sadly, most have very little, if anything, of value to say. It’s very nice to not be in touch sometimes, when no one can reach you to tell you something that can wait an hour or two or five! Silence, folks. Try it.

    Reply
  2. Andrew says:
    February 21, 2007 at 2:14 pm

    I’ve always called my cell phone “a leash” – sometimes I just want to run free, and pee wherever I want to. Okay maybe that takes the analogy a little too far…

    I’m a big fan of 2,4,5,11… #7 is still unlikely to happen (I should note that I now know why I haven’t gotten response to the e-mail I sent yesterday) because of office politics. Good insights none the less.

    Reply
  3. BobA says:
    February 22, 2007 at 9:19 am

    So, getting messaging on multiple devices makes #2 a pipe dream
    Working for a forune 100 company I am happy to keep it under 200
    SMS is great because it allow me to communicate with my teenage sons when they are out and about.
    a smartphone is the hardest to apply any of these rules, you can always tell in a meeting when thngs are going south when you see people doing the blackberry prayer, even more noticable than people doing email in meetings -at least the notebook users can fake taking notes.
    for me color coding and folder rules help me at least looks like I am keeping up
    And #9 is funny – Hi I am bob and I have a messaging problem:-)

    Reply

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Jeremy Toeman is a seasoned Product leader with over 20 years experience in the convergence of digital media, mobile entertainment, social entertainment, smart TV and consumer technology. Prior ventures and projects include CNET, Viggle/Dijit/Nextguide, Sling Media, VUDU, Clicker, DivX, Rovi, Mediabolic, Boxee, and many other consumer technology companies. This blog represents his personal opinion and outlook on things.

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