244 C.M. Pugh

TABLE 15.3  Tips for those addicted to e-mail

Some addiction signs

 •  You check your e-mail more than once an hour

 •  You look at every message that comes in, as it comes in

 •  You feel the need to respond to messages instantly or within minutes of when they arrive

 •  You interrupt real, in-person activities on a regular basis to deal with e-mail

 •  E-mail has, in some way, interfered with your regular life (e.g., stress, sleep loss, relationship troubles, etc.)

Useful advice

 •  There’s no such thing as an e-mail emergency. If something is incredibly urgent, the sender will call, text, or otherwise reach you

 •  Give yourself a curfew. Decide on a specific cut-off time for sending and reading messages, and stick to it

 •  Schedule e-mail times. Set specific times during which you’ll deal with e-mail, and don’t do it outside of those windows

 •  Set aside a “no e-mail” day. If you can’t cope with taking a full day off, try only checking your e-mail for 5 min on Saturday morning – then leaving the rest of the day email free

 •  Turn your PDA off when you get home, or at least disable the instant e-mail checking function.Your messages will wait, but your life will not

Adapted from Raphael3

completion. Tables 15.3 and 15.43, 4 provide several tips for those who are addicted to email and time-saving advice for those wishing to manage email more effectively.

Goal Setting

We desire efficient and effective time management because we want to reach our goals (Fig. 15.8). The process of goal setting relates to directing your conscious and subconscious decisions toward success and building motivation to achieve your goals.The SMART concept states that your goals should be: (1) Specific, (2) Measureable, (3) Attainable, (4) Rewarding, and (5) Timely (Table 15.5).5

Chapter 15.  Time Management 245

TABLE 15.4  Time-saving e-mail management strategies

1.  Think before you write. Before you begin composing an e-mail, consider what you’re trying to accomplish and whether e-mail is effective for your task. For example, if you’re trying to solve someone’s problem, call them instead

2.  Keep it simple. E-mail works best for simple requests and messages that can be expressed within a few lines. If your message is going to necessitate more than two e-mail chains, a phone call can save lots of time

3.  Keep it short. People like e-mail because it’s fast and easy. However, the longer and more complicated your message, the longer it takes you to compose or respond

4.  Make your subject line work. To help your recipient prioritize and understand your needs, your subject line should be very clear. Deadlines and dates in the subject line are very useful

5.  Structure your e-mail. There should be an opening, a body, and an end. Sentences should be 15 words or less.Three or more points should be bulleted

6.  Take ownership of your message. Ask the recipient,“Is there anything I can do to help? Did I give you enough information?”

7.  Avoid words and phrases that make people defensive. Provoking words such as,“Why did you…,”“You must…,”“I’m sure

you’ll agree…,” and “I don’t understand your…,” often indicate a breakdown in communication that cannot be remedied efficiently by e-mail

8.  Selectively use blind copy and reply all. The only reason to use blind copy is to keep your recipients’ e-mail addresses private. Don’t use blind copy to surreptitiously share confidential or incriminating information with someone else. Replying to everyone can unnecessarily create inefficiency and email clutter for other people

Adapted from Levinson 4

Completing Large Tasks

Many times we find ourselves in situations where we have to get something done, but we either do not enjoy the task, don’t have the resources (e.g., time, knowledge, energy), or we sim- ply just do not want to do it; but it has to get done. Whatever