Email Communication Policy:
Email and other communications during the day are generally disruptive to thoughtful work. Taking a 5 minute break from intense thought really results in a loss of 30-45 minutes as your mind re-establishes the prior focus.
When I can concentrate - no distractions - I can be very productive for my clients. In order to achieve the highest quality and quantity of work, I have implemented the following Email Communication Policy.
I am greatly reducing the interval between times that I check email.
In the past, I’ve had Outlook retrieve new messages every 5 to 10 minutes. Now, I will not have outlook check for new messages at all.
Hint: I’ve actually set it to 240 minutes (4 hours) but I’ve also set Outlook to “Work Offline” which causes it to NOT retrieve messages unless I specifically request that it do so.
Note: The Weaning Process
I may not adhere strictly to this policy immediately. I am adding a note to my signature that will let those I email know how to better reach me in the case of an emergency. It is currently, November 20, 2007. I anticipate that I will have this “policy” fully implemented by December 1st.
