Leo Babauta: my 10 habits to work with e-mail
Work And Study Productivity / / December 23, 2019
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Email can be an excellent working tool, and can turn into an annoying source of procrastination, and it's just how you do use it. There was a time when I announced the complete bankruptcy of the email, and now I check it every day 2-3 times a day, but it passes quickly and efficiently.
I have developed a few habits that help me to work with e-mail is very effective and a better focus on other important work. And I'll tell you honestly, finally, my inbox is empty, and it is a wonderful feeling. I will in this article 10 of its habits. Does not mean you have to blindly follow them, I just want to show my way, and based on it, you may lay your. So, here are the habits that work for me:
Less often look in the mail
I do not keep the window open all day mail. And the look in her infrequently. I came to the conclusion that if my inbox accumulate 20-30 letters, then the world will not collapse, at the same time, this is the number I will be easy to quickly process. Attention! I say "process" rather than "read". I open the folder "Inbox" to scatter on the other messages into folders, not to read them and leave immediately.
Scatter folders
I open the mail and begin to make decisions quickly: remove or archive, read and respond immediately (if it takes less than 2 minutes) or archive, send a quick answer, and then back up, add to my to-do list, to do this later (mark with an asterisk, and then archive). In any case, in the inbox nothing should remain.
Immediately add all to Calendar
If the letter comes to me some data about which I have to remember, I once I bring it to the calendar. Personal meeting or talking on Skype, training or something, what should I only remember a week - everything is immediately sent to the calendar. Now it is my best habit is brought to automatism, and thanks to her, I rarely about something to remember.
Use "shortcuts"
I use Gmail, which provides the ability to use multiple keyboard shortcuts for mail. Actually, I only took a few minutes to learn them, and then the muscle memory remembers the keys.
These are the "shortcuts" that I use:
«Gi» - to return to the inbox;
«E» - archive;
"#" - delete;
"C" - create a new message;
«R» - answer;
«F» - forward;
«A» - reply to all;
«Gs» - go to the marked;
«Tab + Return» - when I create a message, so you just send him back up.
I also use the setting when, after deleting or archiving of emails, I will automatically move on to the next without returning to the inbox, it allows you to quickly move up the reports.
Write short letters
My response to the letter is usually 1-3 sentences. I rarely write letters longer than 5 sentences. And in order to be a good reason. If I really need to write a lot, I'd rather do it in Google Docs, and share the right person. Short letter means a quick response from the recipient, as the person will not have to wade through the jungle of your eloquence, to grasp and understand the key information.
Quickly add tasks to todo-list
Some use the inbox as a to-do list, but it is poorly adapted for this, and here's why:
1. The works to be performed, mixed with other letters, and then they are difficult to catch from the crowd.
2. The narrative in the letter does not always contain a specific guide to action, but on the basis of the letters you can put the task itself. When you are ready to execute it, you will have to re-read the letter again, to remember what the specific task you have set yourself after reading it.
3. Every time you look in the post to catch another case, you come across a new message, which attract your attention and distract from the main cases, knocking the rhythm of work.
Simple and easy todo-list - is a plain text document, where you can add tasks from emails just in few mouse clicks. And during such a list would be a more effective tool, because you do not have all the time to look into the inbox.
Keep out of the inbox only unread messages
This feature is for advanced users. I hacked my Gmail-box so that it can no longer be stored unread messages. This means that if I opened the letter and tossed it in any other folder, it will simply disappear. It motivates me to make a decision about how to proceed with this letter immediately, or I just lose it. Thanks to this particular configuration, my inbox is not open messages piling up, which gradually become garbage.
Defer to read
Often send me links to articles. Them I immediately sent to Instapaper, to read later. That's why I try to spend less time on email, because I have so many interesting things to read, but her.
mercilessly filter
When in my letter box appears, which I would not like to see, I immediately straightens it. I am not lazy to unsubscribe or to install a filter on the sender. And it significantly reduces the flow of incoming mail. I am ruthless against emails that clog my inbox, and the rule is applied even in the attitude of people who are too bother me.
Close-mail messages by the end of treatment
Disassembled message - close the mail and do not open for several hours until such time as there is again accumulated a sufficient number of letters.
Start to discover some habits for effective work with e-mail - it is very correct. You will immediately notice how much calmer you become a more important case, getting rid of intrusive checks mail every 10 minutes. Your head is available for fresh ideas, as soon as your inbox free from unnecessary emails. Good luck!