**Note: Since we’re talking about email today, I wanted to let you know that I recently switched email providers. So, if you didn’t get this week’s issue of The Sweet List, please check your spam folder. Not on The Sweet List? Get it here.**
A lot of productivity masters will tell you not to check your emails in the morning.
They say it’s a time suck, and you’d be better off diving into your genius work first and checking your messages later.
I have to politely disagree. The reason so many of us check our emails first thing in the morning is because…drumroll, please…there could be something IMPORTANT!
It’s a terrible feeling to be plowing through your work only to check your email later and realize something had changed and all your hard work is ruined or useless. Believe me, this really sucks, and it’s happened to me more than a few times in my professional life.
Instead, do it the right way by spending 5 minutes checking your email in the morning.
It’s so simple, and I should have been doing this years ago!
Here’s what you do. First, set a timer for 5 minutes and open your email inbox.
When you check your email, you’re doing just that—checking them. You’re not responding to them, organizing them, or acting on them.
Scan your emails for messages that could be important (be honest with yourself). If there’s something that needs an immediate response, such as your boss needing an answer within the next 30 minutes, then respond quickly and be done with it.
Be brutal when assessing an email’s importance. Many of the emails we think need immediate attention can actually wait a couple hours until you start your work day.
If you see an important email, mark it or flag it so you can find it quickly later.
When your 5 minutes are up, close your email and get back to enjoying your morning.
Because I’m sure you have some other important things to do in the morning like get ready for your day, spend time with loved ones, eat breakfast, and focus on your happiness.
And you’ll be able to do all that knowing there are no crises waiting for you in your inbox.
“She understood how a world jammed with phones, email, and faxes could still leave you feeling utterly alone.” Jodi Picoult. Tweet this!
What’s your process for checking and responding to emails?
I check my emails obsessively. I don’t even know why! I’ve rationally thought about it and I know that my email is rarely important enough to warrant an immediate response. I don’t know if I’m just bored all the time and looking for something to do or if I’m just looking for interaction but I check it SO OFTEN! Trying to work on cutting back though. Having a smart phone makes it way too easy to get sucked in to email and social media.
I know! My smart phone makes me feel like I should be checking my email every 5 minutes. Why? It makes no sense and it makes me anxious. But I’m getting better at leaving my phone at home when we go out so I’m not distracted.