Get Off Your Computer and On with Your Life
Think about it: E-mail is really nothing but a bunch of interruptions and distractions that appear in your in box without an invitation. Even checking your e-mail for a minute is a surefire way to . . . distract your mind with a zillion other issues. Once that happens, prolonged concentration on anything, critical or not, is nearly impossible.
—Julie Morgenstern
Kay sighed and turned out the light at her desk—not at the office but at home. Everyone else in the family had gone to bed long ago. Lately she had been the last one shutting down her computer, locking the doors, and turning out the lights.
Kay shared this dilemma with me when we met at one of my seminars. She leaned forward, eager to vent her frustration. “I can’t keep up with my e-mail no matter how determined I am not to let it control my time,” she said. “I even turn on my computer first thing in the morning to get a head start. I’ve got to get back to my life! What can I do?”
Millions of men and women have the same problem. What began as a convenience has become a compulsion. Following are some ideas I offered Kay. I hope they will work for you too.
You Conquered Junk Mail, Now Conquer E-mail
It wasn’t long ago that junk mail made up most of our clutter. The average household, for example, receives fifteen pieces of mail each day. You can shred the junk mail, file the important bills and papers, and distribute the rest until all are in their rightful places, or you can let them clutter up your counter or desk. E-mail is much the same way. You need to decide how to get rid of the junk e-mail, handle the important items, and dispense with the medium priorities so they don’t clutter up your in-box.
So why is e-mail so difficult? That’s a good question. It’s difficult because we are relational and emotional beings. And just as curiosity killed the proverbial cat, we are drawn to check our e-mail “one more time.” We could just get up and walk away, but we don’t. Messages arrive quickly, and we want to find out what they’re about, who sent them, and what we need to respond to. We remain expectant all day long—sometimes for as much as sixteen hours. Then we wonder why we didn’t accomplish any of our priorities.
Is Your Computer Controlling Your Life?
Only you can answer that question. Whether you turn on your computer for work, for personal correspondence, or as a first response to walking into your office or computer room, there is a better way to live.
If you get up from your computer session with a brain fog or irritated that your life is slower than the speed of your computer, it’s time to slow down.
Your E-mail In-Box
How many e-mails do you receive each day? According to a survey of 2,447 adults conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, there are two kinds of e-mailers: the “average user” and the “power user.” Following are the results of this survey:
| Incoming E-mails | Sent | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average User | 20 | 5 | 30 minutes |
| Power User | 50+ | 20+ | 90 minutes |
| Your Statistics |
Five Ways to Get Off E-mail
Kay considered herself an average user, but she still found it difficult to get off her computer. Here are five ways that could be helpful to Kay and perhaps to you, if your e-mail habits are escalating out of control.
1. NEVER CHECK E-MAIL IN THE MORNING. According to Julie Morgenstern, author of a book by that same title, you will be more productive if you spend the first hour of the day on concentrated work items apart from e-mail. Then when time’s up, turn on the e-mail and begin.
2. IMPROVE YOUR SORTING METHOD. Systematically deal with e-mail each day. Don’t skip around.
Send junk e-mail to the “blocked senders” list.
Respond to key people and projects.
Start at the top and respond to messages that require two minutes or less.
Place remainders in folders by person or project.
Follow up on longer responses the next time you open your e-mail.
3. CREATE FOLDERS WITH TIME LIMITS. Deal with your e-mail folders on a regular basis.
Delete File—Empty on Fridays at the end of the day.
Temporary File—Empty on Friday after using this file as a temporary holding place for the week.
Read File—Read midafternoon for a workday break.
Important File—Hold these for a longer term and review at the end of the month.
4. TITLE YOUR E-MAILS ACCURATELY. Don’t waste people’s time by hitting Reply before you relabel the subject line. Instead, pride yourself on accuracy and write a short title of what is to follow: “Project Due Tues. Noon” or “Hi, Mom, What’s for Dinner?”
5. TIME IT, TRACK IT, FINE-TUNE IT. One day, jot down each time you check your e-mail. You may find that you impulsively hit Send/Receive more often than necessary. Next, track it for three days and fine-tune your times until e-mail is just a part of your day, not your whole day.
Tips from Power Users
Thousands of people have mastered the use of their computers, and you can too. Pay attention to the men and women you know who accomplish the most in life. What kind of e-mails do they send? Check their efficiency, clarity, and brevity. Follow their example. Why not learn and imitate the best of what comes across your screen?
Here are some of the key strategies and habits of “power users”:
Their answers are brief.
They get right to the point.
They are known for quick responses.
They provide pertinent information.
They do not waste time sending forwards.
They keep a file of stock answers for FAQs (frequently asked questions).
What Will I Do When I Get Off My Computer?
It sounds like a funny question, but unless you plan what you’ll do when you finally shut down your computer, you’ll linger and check for more e-mail, research your project longer, or continue to browse and waste more time.
Instead, set a timer to get yourself up, go for a walk, pull away for a brief rest, and eat regularly scheduled meals. Set boundaries with coworkers and with yourself so you will leave work on time. Go to the gym a few times a week to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome and back and neck pain. These actions will also keep you from wearing the letters off your keyboard!
Only you can decide when too much is too much. If you are serious about curbing your hours at the computer, you’ll need a plan to keep yourself motivated. Otherwise, you’ll be drawn back like a magnet to steel. Precious time wasted in front of a computer may turn out to be the primary hindrance to getting on with your life.
Simplify Your Time and Get On with Your Life
Isn’t it interesting that when computers first came on the scene, most of us were afraid of pushing a key or button that could result in a crash? Now the pendulum has swung the other way. We’re afraid (or at least resistant) of pushing the Off button so we can get on with the rest of our lives.
If the computer has become your life––stop. Pull away from your monitor, close the door, and do something you enjoy away from the screen and keyboard.
It’s Your Time
Get Off Your Computer and On with Your Life (Time Habit #3)
□ What is your personal red flag that you have been on the computer too long (e.g., resenting others who work fewer hours, feeling mentally stressed when I get off, etc.)?
□ Track your computer hours for today (or one week) to discover your actual time.
□ What would you like to be doing instead of being on the computer?
It is not how many e-mails you get. It is how many you let “hang around”! Your “In Box” is not a filing cabinet, a to-do list, a calendar, an address book, or a bookmark list. Although you have limited control over the number of e-mails you get, you have total control over the number you leave in your “In Box.” . . . Keep your In Box empty!”
—Barbara Hemphill