Save time and become more productive, a simple rule for parsing email

Author of Getting Things Done system (GTD) shared life hacking, which helps him to quickly deal with small problems.

David Allen

Consultant on personal effectiveness and time management, the author of the productivity methodology GTD.

In almost instantly accumulate unread messages. It constantly distracting and prevents efficiently manage time.

Guru productivity David Allen uses the so-called rule of two minutes, which helps deal with the crowded Inbox. As soon as a new email arrives, Allen makes the decision. If it can be answered in two minutes or less, he immediately responds. If the answer you need to seriously think about it skips a letter.

Do not put off for later what can be done in two minutes.

The letters that you need to think about, it is transferred to a different time. "Decision making us mentally tired - Allen explains. - Choosing what kind of shoes to wear in the morning, we expend mental energy, as in the case when we decide whom to hire. "

Even small decisions cause fatigue. Therefore, Allen returned to the individual letters, when he has them time and effort. Most often, he dealt with them in the morning.

Try to treat the mail as well. If you do not want to be distracted by every new letter, disassemble inbox, when you have had a free time or when there is no power on the big tasks.

Rule two minutes will help to clear your inbox and your head. Just do not apply it to all problems: all day can not perform two-minute business.

Generally appropriate when you need to get rid of small cases and efficiently work on large projects.