Checking the emails
The suggestions contained in this module are excellent! I found I was constantly checking my email, which took a lot of time. So now I do try to narrow it down to twice a day - morning and evening. But is even that too much?
How about weekends? Does anyone check their emails on weekends? I do, and I guess that contributes to the feeling I am "constantly working" ...
Mario, Smartphones are great at helping us stay connected. However, some educators find that they keep them too connected and create unrealistic expectations of being always accessible. Limiting email checks to a few times a day can really help. As for junkmail, I recommend proactively unsubscribing as opposed to just deleting.
Dr. Melissa Read
i think if your're waiting for something check it as much as you need but on the average 3 times a day is typical. you can set up yor email to notify you through your smart phone. and learn how to deligate your junk mail!!
Dorothea, Limiting the amount of times we check email can absolutely help us stay focused during the day. Your task and role will determine how much you can limit email checking.
Dr. Melissa Read
I only check my emails mornings, breaks and before I leave for the day.. If not, I would be constantly working on task that could wait, and never successfully accomplish anything. (urgency/Importance). I try to stay focused on my 'to-do list'. Prioritizing my work load is getting better. Still an ongoing task.
For admin purposes, I check emails twice a day. For my students, I have a FaceBook page. I can send out group messages, receive questions, comments, etc. I find the students chat with each other as well. I check FB when I check emails. Students can use both methods, but FB is far more popular.
I am holding out on using texting on my phone, but my other instructors do. I need to be able to turn off communication to students on the weekends, otherwise i would take time away from my family.
If the students know that you check email and phone calls once a day and that you are very good about returning/replying, they are usually very accepting of that practice.
I need to be better about limiting how many times I check my email! It really would save so much time. Its hard when I have it right on my phone.
I too leave my email open all day but what I had to do was remove the little icon that let's you know when you have new email. That helped alot.
I find the suggestion for checking e-mail less frequently helpful. I was one of those individuals that would check when the alert signal advised me of a new e-mail. I felt interrupted and unfocused with this approach.
In my position of Clinical Coordinator, I still must check at least every two hours to ensure I have open communication with my students on clinical training sites.
Iam not sure I'm a good person for a response on this because I check my email very often. Probably 6-8 times daily and weekends too. But I now know that this is very counter productive, so I'll immediately change my habits to once morning and once at the end of the day.
Checking email once a day would not work for me. Because I use computers in my classroom, it is essential that I check it more often. However, I will check my email at set times such as before and after class and during class breaks. If I find a message that can be read or replied to at a later time, then I will not open the message until I have more time to devote that message. Usually by reading the title or who it is from or both will be a good indication as to the message’s urgency.
-Glenn Hobbs
I don't think checking twice a day is too much. I usually get notifications when I have an email. If it is important I'll read it. If it's from a sender that I know and is probably not an emergency I will wait and read it at a later time. I check my emails generally three times a day.
Roxsie, So true. When we check email all the time, it can drive us crazy and can completely consume our schedules! Scaling back and addressing email during select windows in our schedules can be a big help.
Dr. Melissa Read
I check my email everyday, in fact is open the whole day, and that keep me informed all the time, is to much rigth?
I think checking emails at set times is much more productive then checking it all the time.
CHECKING THE EMAILS SHOULD BE DONE THREE TIMES A DAY.
Peggy, Yes, email can consume a significant amount of your time and can be very distracting too! Some instructors must check email more than once a day to keep up with the speed of their institution. However, others have more flexibility. If you have flexibility, scaling back to once a day could be a healthy approach.
Dr. Melissa Read
I am always checking my e-mail, which wastes alot of my time. I think checking once a day should suffice and I am going to do my best to stick to this goal.
I agree the suggestions in this module, made me think. Checking your e-mails at specified times during the day can definitely help you save time and be more organized. Also, the students will be aware of when they can expect a response, knowing when you are most likely to read their e-mails. Very good idea.
