I read this post yesterday and this quote jumped out at me:

“never use your inbox as a to-do list”

Boy, I am guilty of this.

I get 100’s of emails a day. I don’t like things to sit around. Because of this I am in constant email mode, as I try to respond to them as they come in. The problem is many of the emails require additional work. Email has become my to-do list at the price of the rest of the stuff I need to get done.

I don’t like email. It’s become everyone’s default medium. Especially at work. I am copied on emails far too often, on things that I just don’t need to know about. I am unable to delete an email without reading it. Therefore, I get bogged down reading everything that comes in to determine if there is something in it for me. My preference, don’t copy me unless I have an action item. If it blows up and you need my help, then I will come up to speed. I don’t need the play by play.

I’ve also found people far too often go too long before they pick up the phone. Any email exchange that goes back and forth more than 4 times and isn’t resolved . . . pick up the damn phone.

I spend 50% of my day or more a slave to my master the email stream. I need to stop. I’ve come to realize people aren’t going to change their email habits, no matter how poor, so I need to change mine. Anyone have any suggestions? I’m listening.