Danielle,
I have found this effective. I hope it works for you. Please be sure to note some "retraining" of the folks that typically email you and expect an immediate response may be necessary.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I agree going to start checking emails at certin times everyday rather than every time they come in!
David,
I have found turn Outlook off to be very helpful. Starting and stopping other work to check email seems to reduce both my accuracy and productivity.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I never thought about wasted time on checking emails until you brought this up. I think I could save a lot of time by doing this at certain intervals.
I would definitely have to say an over-reliance on emails. It is great way to communicate with your colleagues, but a lot of time is wasted on back and forth emails that could easily be solved with a verbal conversation. I have lost count the number of times by emailing coworkers, but face-to-face would have solved the problem much quicker.
The way to minimize email time waster is determine if verbal communication is better for the situation. If it is, then you meet face-to-face. Otherwise, use email constructively.
Monica,
That is a good strategy, although I am not sure very many folks would be comfortable doing that.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I deleted my email icon off my phone, so I only have a habit of checking it every day once I get to work.
Brian,
There is a reason one type of phone garnered the nickname "crackberry." If we are not careful, we can easily fall into the trap of sending too much time looking at our phone and becoming subject to the distractions it can present.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I have found several key things that are "time-wasters." I would definitely have to say that the cell phone has become such a easily accessible device that it is so easy to pull out and look at more times in a day than you could probably count. I would have to say that personally I need to take the time to put the phone away in my area I have for storage and only check it during breaks and/or after class.
Julie,
It sounds like you have a solid understanding of what works for you. You were wise to not give up all 'chatting" with co-workers as that can sometimes one seem rude, unfriendly or disinterested. Not many folks have the self-discipline to ignore social media while at work.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Personal time wasters include excessive email checking and facebook checking. I only check my email twice a day and facebook after hours. I also found that chatting with co workers took a lot of time during the day as well. I didn't cut that out completely but did cut down on the non work related conversations.
Kimberly,
I share your feelings about "Reply to All." I often use only the BCC as the address bar for announcements that have multiple recipents so that those who reply to everyone only wind up replying to me. Unfortunately, I have not figured out a method for reducing the impact of "Reply to All" on email that originate elsewhere.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I check my E-mails 1st. thing in the morning and last thing in the evening. (try to). I think that a Big Time-Waster is when you receive E-mails that are addressed to "ALL"
Bruce,
I think not trying to answer email while you are in class is the correct decision. Your attention "belongs" to the students who are with you during that class period. In my opinion, waiting until the class is over to scan your email and decide what is immediate and what can wait is the correct thing to do.
Jeffrey Schillinger
In the Job I have, some emails are sent regarding something that is important and I only check my email twice daily. (in the morning and after class) If I get an email that's important then I will relay the message the following day, the problem is that sometimes that is too late. I am teaching a class and do not find I have the time to keep turning the front screen off and on to check emails. My computer screen can be seen over the projector, with no option to separate the two..
I live in a high traffic area. For me, a big time waster is commuting to and from the office during rush hour. I have successfully cut down on commuting but since I now take three kids to school as well, it has leveled off again. I wish that I could have all three kids in the same school, near home, and then work from home. That would cut down on time wasters in my life.
Another time waster is allowing my co-workers to chat away all day while I am trying to get my work done. I "feel bad" telling them to quiet down and allow them to chat when I should not do so.
Stephen,
Many folks report this as one of their distrations. I suggest trying to set limits like just after lunch and just before you leave for the day.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I have developed the habit of checking personal social networks during the course of the day.
John,
Meetings are one of the most commonly mentioned reasons as a time-waster. We can control the meetings we chair, but we have less influence on other meetings.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I have found that the biggest time waster in my day is meetings. Many have information that is either irrelevant to my work, or it contains things that I already am aware of.
Many of the meetings I go to could be shared via e-mail, with a required response added in. That way, when I have a free moment, I can check and highlight anything that pertains to me or my work.
I do keep a priority list from A to D, and even have spaces set aside for 'incoming' requests that others feel are important. I keep the list with me when ever possible, so I can give responses immediately.
