Email Addicts - Are You One Of Them? Part II

In Part I of Email Addicts — Are You One Of Them? we looked at some of the common behaviors to look for to determine if you are indeed addicted to your inbox. So if you are reading Part II, you obviously identified with one or more of the points and now maybe wondering what to do about it.

Overcoming email addiction requires you to set some rules, guidelines and boundaries for yourself as to when you can check your messages. Here are a few suggestions to get you on the right track.

1. Set a cut-off time during non-working hours for checking email. Instead of spending three or four hours an evening checking email, give yourself one hour with a specific cut-off time (for example, 6pm — 7pm or 9pm — 10pm if you have children).
2. Set up a specific schedule for checking email and stick to it. Dedicate 30 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes at noon and another 30 minutes in the afternoon. If you set and follow such a schedule, you’ll also be surprised at how much more you get accomplished during the day.
3. Email messages DO NOT require an immediate response. It is OK for messages to remain sit in your inbox unread for a few hours — until your next scheduled email time. In cases of real emergencies, people usually pick up the phone and call or will track you down in person.Now once you have tried the above for a few weeks, you might be ready to put yourself to the real test.
4. Go on a vacation — without your laptop or PDA. Speaking from experience, this was a bit of a shock at first, to be without access to email for a week. However, once I got over the initial shock, it was relaxing and nice to get back to a more natural state. Now, I make it a point of taking two electronic-free vacations a year.
5. Designate one day as a “No Email” day. Truth be told, I have not tried this one yet. However, I know there are many companies who have “No Email” days and swear by them. I can certainly see the benefits and encourage any email addict to give it a try.

One final point, if you also manage people, it is important that you encourage them — not only yourself — to set guidelines and boundaries as to when they are on email. Part of your role will be to lead by example — so set a positive example.