I prefer to check email in the morning since my dean where I teach corresponds primarily by emails.
William E.,
You and I share the same struggle. I have to turn my email off to be productive, yet I feel a bit of withdrawal when I am not checking it.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I constantly checked my email messages afraid I was going to miss something. I have tried in the past to check it once every hour or so, but I soon returned to my old habits. Lately, I have been taking work to another room whenever I can where the computer is not so close by. Unfortunately, I can't do all of my work away from the computer. I still struggle with this one!
The email tip is very big. A lot of times I actually get up from my desk and walk to the person to respond or call them on the phone because the response requires a whole conversation or some action to be taken. I will schedule email time from now on. It is very distracting and takes me off course a lot.
Nancy ,
This is a solid strategy. Too many of us leave it open all day and let it interrupt us regularly.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Nancy ,
Intersting post. The most common concern expressed on this discussion forum is the time spent in email.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I usually check email at least 2 times during the day and then once again before leaving for the day.
One big time waster is spending unnecessary time on the telephone. It may be better to communicate via email rather than phone, if possible, as sometimes unrelated conversation takes place.
Robert,
Thisi s not that uncommon. You may want to considr proposing some electronic shortcuts.
Jeffrey Schillinger
The educational campus I work at has a tremendous paper trail, forms, and antequated processes. I find myself frustrated because I know it takes so much more of my time and is so inefficient but it seems to be the requirements of the accrediting bodies. It's hard to image in 2012 that I'm processing paper trails like we were in the 1960's!
Carolyn,
Most folks are not willing to do this because somehow we believe we must return emails immediately upon receipt. What you are doing is something most of us should do to increase productivity.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I found that checking my emails three times a day was the most time saving thing for me. I check them when I come in, at lunch and before I leave.Replies are sent during these times also.
Robert,
I found that turning off my email for 90 minutes at a time has been really helpful.
Jeffrey Schillinger
One of my personal time wasters is checking my cell phone for emails, texts, phone calls, etc. It can absorb a lot of my time.
I have tried to only check my phone during my lunch break or during my 15 minute breaks to increase my productivity during the work day and it has been a great time saver so far!!
I check my email probably 10 times a day, and try to respond to every email right away. I see this takes alot of my time, and I think I can save time by only checking it twice a day.
In my case, I need to work different tasks at different times of the day in three areas of the building. I shudder to think how much time I take running back and forth between the locations. I have yet to figure out a way to complete more in each area at a time so that I might minimize the number of trips.
I work with Jeff and agree fully with him. To many meetings that have poor preperation. Waste of time.
Too many chiefs, too many agendas also waste time. I have just about quit trying to plan my time. Less stress. My day planner has one entry, allocate time for problems that you don't antiticipate. I feel like a fireman not an instructor.
Jeffrey,
I enjoyed this post. There is a movement in many companies to get away from emails and meetings. Folks are starting to use share sites and, believe it or not, actually talking to an individual on the phone or in person. One challenge we have at my school is that everyone seems to get invited to every meeting. I am learning to say "no" to meetings I do not think I should be a part of.
Jeffrey Schillinger
we seem to constantly have meetings that are unnecessary. a simple e-mail could have conveyed the message more effectively and waasted a lot less time. we have meetings to prepare for meetings about upcomming meetings that we are thinking about having meetings about. it is a lot like having a department of redundancy department
Shannon,
Balance us important, as is building relationships with co-workers.
Jeffrey Schillinger
