Email Addiction – Is it real? (Day 23 – 30 Day Video Challenge)

You know I was busy working then …BING, your email came in Jim and distracted me :0/

Many times I lost money because I did not check my email. Many times I have been diverted and the consequences was changing the plans and not necessarily for good.I call it imposed mass addiction.

I am thinking Jim we need to have a software to sort fast, clear and if possible automatic, on the categories, with color code and other forms of codes… all the new ones, to be able to resolve in an organized way the dam think.

This problem is similar with brushing the teeth: we have to do it daily, at specific time or we are out of business .. I mean… no teeth.
And definitely we write far too long and unnecessarily too often. Reason? Fear, anger,lack of trust, showing of, ..: the emotion rather than practical strategies and needs.

Jim…

Yes!

Being the social butterfly that I am – I love my emails!! But Whoa ………. Yes sir they do distract and I am always chasing my tail. I agree, the program that sorts and advises the important stuff would be fabulous! Hope someone creative can figure this out. Thanks for today!!

Jim, you are tooooo funny. Oh, by the way, the guy under the freeway down the road wants to borrow your sign

Hi Jim,

For years, I’ve used the rules in Outlook to pre-sort mail.

* I use a gmail address for all the ezine / opt-in subscriptions. Outlook sends everything that goes to that address to a folder called “Read Me Later”

* I use a different email address to pre-sort emails from customers and put them into a “Quick Customer Replies” folder

* Orders come straight into the main Inbox. I set up Outlook to recognize the “New Order” subject line and to color those emails green! (I LOVE seeing lots of green in the Inbox!)

I still click Send/Receive way too often, but I’m learning to just CLOSE Outlook.

Cheers, Sheila

You start the day at 7:00 in the Morning? #&^%$ that!!!

This is one nasty habit. To many of you gurus emailing me videoes and what have you. Since I’m a newbie at this I’ll live with it for a while and sort it out. Do enjoy the vids though Jim.

You are not the only email addict one on earth, I promise! I am an email addict too. I have 3 accounts so it does waste my time. OK, here is my Jim Edwards inspired solution. I WILL NOT check email any more than 3 times per day. I bet I check about 20 times per day now so that would be a big improvement!

Sheila is one of the few I’ve read comments from (anywhere) who seems to realize that Outlook can actually be set up to work FOR you! You rock, Sheila!

Here in the office, our desktop machine does NOT have email access! Well, if I must, I can always use webmail… but only if it is work related.

You have brought up a sore subject for a lot of us and I can only say “GUILTY” if you asked me if that has happened to me on a regular basis. It is a time waster. Email MUST be managed! Do I smell a program coming to help us all manage it better?

Hi Jim
Man I am with You on this email thing
I have same problem I have to check my email
all the time I wish someone would come up
with a software program that won’t let you
check your email for 4 to 5 after you turn
on your computer.I think there use to be a
program out there.

Well Jim,

I had Google implant a G-Chip into my brain, so Gmail is transmitted directly into the cortex email stimulated areas only.
Or
I could just give away my secret of using Gmail to Color Code all my incoming mail, and some mail I just have Gmial S-Can altogether.

Mike

Yes, I am an addict, but I personally welcome those who sign up for my e-zines and also send the products I sell. So, it is important for me to check my e-mail.
A fast way is that I check it in http://www.mail2web.com first and delete the spammy stuff along with the unimportant stuff. This keeps a lot of the unnecessary mail from ever entering my Outlook. It also alerts me to important mail that I need to address right away.
Jim, I am enjoying your videos immensely!
Chris

That’s it, Jim. I got it now. I’ve been thinking about the same model: don’t touch the damn email, get my laptop out on my desk. May be, I will do it now. Oops, I am getting it out right now. The only problem I see with it, if you send me another email in the morning, god forbid, I will not see it until later on in the day. But you won’t, right?

Great video, Jim. I’ve got to start making videos soon. Thank you very much.

Well Jim: You are not alone struggling with this problem. Anyhow I thought you had a staff to filter the e-mail so that you only get the ones that are urgently for your eyes only.

Why is there so much e-mail going to your in box, I mean apart from your obvious charm?

I, being completely without charm, get a lot too, and it seems to me it would help if they arrived color categorized. Spam, (identified by software because it wasn?t solicited, should be purple. People trying to sell you something(identified by the credit cards at the end should maybe be blue. Some of these e-mails are so long that they can waste ten minutes of your reading time just to get to the bottom line. Opt in freebies could be maybe pink and personal friends and relatives red. Once presorted like this you could spare the time for those you consider important and delete the rest. Just an idea. But what do I know? Betty

Jim, great video and great message. You reminded me that I need to go back to leaving Outlook closed and only open it when I’m ready to consume what is there. (I don’t have another computer option.) One thing I have committed to doing in the last week is unsubscribing to any emails that are not benefiting me right NOW.

Jim, you can use a new service called Flutter instead of twitter to save time… if you use flutter you can have all the time in the world.. More info here..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLZCy-_m3s

Regards
Troy

Hi Jim:
I’ve spent hours working on why my email “search” window would no longer work. I need that function!!! If phone calls have a 65% negative rate–65% are problematic by nature– then email relieves my life…like say, the bank does. Banks help us make money…so we can, uh, pay the bank, pretty much. So, “My Email” helps me spend more time…with uh…, my email. I clear them out like when the volumn reaches 4,000 or over. I use the junk mail shuttle and then go through them and move some of them back to the Inbox. I can’t unsubscribe and I’ve read many whitepapers on IT and Nano technology for the coming 21st centruy and I feel so close to the cutting edge and those visionary scientists, and I need that to help me sell. I work for, at least a day, once a month, clearing off the old emails that may even have gone unopened because I can’t remember where or why I have them. Like this one with information on dying your car tires different colors and this one for the best way to grow a healthy lawn. I’ve stopped sleeping, literally, and have been running on coffee basically, for over a year.
I’m doing okay, but after midnight, I sneek out to sites that give away documents and requst them because I really do need to know which Remote Ccontrol Airplane is the lightest for the size motor, reccmmended. I’ve never known that!!! Oh, there’s a sale. Gotta’ folder for those!
Excuse me the “email arriving” bells just chimed and I have to go, now and catch the phone.
I don’t think you’ll have any problem dealing with your email, but sometimes when I’m asleep, I hear a sound as though thousands of emails are singing about the life they lead in my computer. Maybe four…, six thousand little email voices calling to the heavens for Seriphim and Angels to make them like real children and to let them all come to life. Singing!!!
I’m taking a week off in Hawaii, next week, so I bought a new laptop for the trip. I have it set up to download all my regular email before I go, and I’ll just take that along, just in case…, something happens. I don’t know what?

I hope I’ve helped you deal with your email troubles. This has made me feel much better. No really. I’m better, now.
The email chime’s ringing, again, and I missed that phone call. No matter, there it goes again. Gotta’ go, Jim.
Send me an email.
Good luck!
Geon.

hello jim
i think you were talking to me on that subject,I am very ADDICTED.THANKX A LOT 4 THAT GREAT VID. YOU ARE AWESOME DUDE….

Yes, it’s definitely a problem. Unfortunately, a large part of my income depends on jumping on incoming emails as soon as they arrive. Fortunately, I’ve got a separate email address set up for just that set of emails, so it’s easy to spot the ones that need my attention when they come in. They are filtered into a separate folder in Outlook. I don’t use that address for anything else. Far be it from me to figure out how the spam bots got ahold of that address. Fortunately, Outlook’s junk mail filter is pretty good.

I admit, I’m an e-mail addict. Never know what shows up that could change my life!

But Jim, when do you eat?? (You didn’t mention it in your schedule.) You must be eating at the keyboard like me. Do you have a crumb snatcher?

Right on Jim!

I’m about to put up a new machine for creative development and you suggestions is an answer to all my email overload. Now what do you suggest for fixing a wife who is email addicted wants to have my input on her email?

Sorry about the mistyping and missing words…it’s too late.

Bingo!

I like the way you think. I have been doing the same sort of things to get control of myself. You say that having to do this shows a lack of self control. No it doesn’t. It shows intelligence. Why should you have to expend energy to avoid doing something when it is FAR easier to remove the choice.

Like when you un-installed your favorite video game to stop it from keeping you from getting things done.

It is the most basic of concepts. Like that joke where the man goes to the doctor and says, “It hurts when I do this.(waves arm) What should I do?” And the Doctor says, “Don’t do that.”

I have packed away my playstation, and when I REALLY want to get stuff done I work on a machine that has, wait for it… NO INTERNET CONNECTION!!! (my god)

There is a lot of crap around to distract people these days. If you have trouble resisting it, making it hard (or impossible) to get to is the perfect solution. No one has ever dropped over from not seeing their emails.

Later, Dick

PS-When I am writing I actually use an old word processor (not a computer) so that there aren’t even any other programs to draw my attention.

PPS-I also unsubscribed from MANY lists. I only kept the best and obviously you are one of them. Keep it up.

Hi Jim,

Great video!

Yes its the old “time management” and balance thing again.

You make an excellent point regarding negative emails … you can have a 100 positive comments and sales etc … but one “flame” ruins your mood for the day!

The “two computers” idea sounds great … ultimately its “what works for you” … but email must be controlled that’s
for sure.

Thanks for all your help and support.

Steve

Get yourself a tough, hard-as-nails, computer-hating, @-detesting, email-abhorring assistant (mail or femail, either will do) to weed out your email wheat from your email chaff.

I am sooooooooooooooo addicted to email it’s not true. I have zillions of folders that neatly file all of my emails away and with a website, 3 blogs and being on mailing lists, I can tell you the ‘ping’ sound goes off on my computer and I’m THERE. I’ve changed screens, gone out of what I was doing and immersed myself in EMAIL again )) I cannot leave it alone, even if I had two computers I would HAVE to turn the other one on just to see if I had any email. I now have an iPhone and guess what, if I’m up in the night and can’t sleep – I check my EMAIL. HELP!!!!

Seriously, my orders come in via email and I need to respond to those quickly, but that is an excuse to some extent, because I’ve always been an email addict. However, I will TRY to schedule stuff in because I am a firm believer in the Franklin Covey method of priortising (I just doesn’t practise it enough). I am DOOMED, I know it!!!

You are absolutely correct, Jim there is an eMail Monster out there waiting to grab us. The same thing happens to me – once I open up my email it leads me down all sorts of paths. Then I am too worn out from looking at the email, I can’t do any creative work or thinking.

The only way I could solve that was not to open my email and just do my work. I have gotten very good at not opening it for days – which is not good also.

Your suggestion is good – only open your email at a certain time each day when you have time to work on the email.

Hi Jim,

As a recovering email addict, I invite you to join the 12 step program.

I’d tell you what it is, but I am too busy working on my other addiction…perfectionism.
Stew

Think you must have made this video just for me! Brilliant – thanks.

Jim, I fixed it like this:8am-9am read mail and deal with queries.
9am the computer is switched off and I get on with preparing stuff for ebay sales.
1pm computer back on and check emails, deal with queries + eat lunch at desk.
2pm clean crumbs offa the keyboard, switch off and spend the afternoon doing productive stuff.
Computer goes back on at 5pm to check mail and do any research needed. I’ve got so much more work done since I started doing this just after christmas.
Today is an exception as I’m taking it as a day off to do some repairs on my wife’s car (because I can!)

Hi Jim,

Funny about the timing of your post! I like the idea about the way you divide your time between “creative” and “mechanical” time. I already apply the 2 golden hours that I learnt from msc-2.0. Now it’s going to be “Golden Morning” and “Golden Afternon”

My inbox is completely overwelming me and distracts me from my focus for the day…so, today I declared “email bankrupty”.

This afternoon I drafted the following email that will be sent to my staff and colleagues tomorrow morning (sorry, I mean 12pm when I check my messages). It reads as follows:

“If you have sent me an important email in the past 3 months and I’ve not replied, please send it again if you require any SPECIFIC action from me. Three minutes after you receive this message, I’m declaring email bankrupty and deleting everything”.

It seems like my only way out

Regards
Rodney
PS:

Hey Jim, my solution was similar to yours with multiple computers except that my e-mail “computer” is actually my Blackberry. I almost NEVER check e-mail on my work computer. At first I thought that handling my e-mail (3 different accounts) on my Blackberry Storm would actually waste even more time, but I found that I actually sort through it MUCH faster, respond with shorter answers (just because typing long responses can be a pain on-screen) and can ignore it if I want to. If there ARE urgent e-mails that require a longer response, I usually reply to those later in the day. My problem (before the Blackberry), was getting so many e-mails that I’d forget to respond to important ones due to sheer volume. That doesn’t happen now.

Morning Jim, great video! My solution has been to only form my email with manual down loads. I only get email when I choose to receive it..which is twice a day. Additionally I don’t have a cell phone for the same reason…it’s always an unscheduled interruption. I don’t answer the phone when it rings…I call back. I have a pager (don’t laugh!) and when I’m at a stopping place in the day I return any pager contacts. I credit Dan Kennedy for this tactic I read years ago. It works!

Ugh – Jim – I click the send and receive button every time I know I should be doing something I don’t want to do. It’s a major time waster. Sometimes I think the answer to all my dreams will some how arrive in my ‘in box’!

Hey Big Jim,

Brilliant! Since I got my Blackberry, I’ve had TWO places where I’ve been checking my email. So if I missed any of the junk the first time around (on my Blackberry), I had another chance to distract myself when I had to go back and delete the same stuff off of Outlook on my work computer.

But no more! From now on, I’m no longer using my work computer to check email. GONE… freakin’ cold turkey, man! From now on, the work computer is for proactive work only.

What a simple but brilliant insight: No email on your work computer. You da man, Jimbo!

Best,

David Blaise

GREAT advice…as usual. I actually have two computers in my office and several at home…I am going to implement your plan–starting today (when I buy and download Camtasia to my now-creative computer)!

2 Computers- I love that idea and have said that for years! For me it’s just as an added layer of protection. Keep the important stuff separate and secured, unless, & until you want to share it with others.
Thanks for sharing how you prioritize your day. For those who were confused, Now, it’s a template for others to follow.
Hey Jim, You’ve got a new product idea… the people have raised their hands.
I always get such great ideas from the people who comment!

On the mark with this! I realized how my productivity was being affected so I now close my email whenever I work on a creative project. I do this for one-hour blocks. At the end of the hour, I get up and stretch and see if any emails truly need my attention right then. I’ve found the earth doesn’t stop spinning because of this. And, if someone does need a response that will take more than my few-minute pause, I send a very quick email to let them know I’ll get back to them and by when. At night . . . I’ve put myself on the same premise as telecallers–how much of what I do really needs to be taken care of after 9 p.m. (sometimes earlier). It’s important to know when to turn off the business life and turn on the other parts of your life. It’s a good way to avoid stress and burn-out, and to keep the enjoyment level present in both. It’s a matter of figuring out what works for you.

Heck Fire Big Jim! It’s a great idea man… I’m going to give it a go.

I have a desktop computer sitting right next to me that was my wife’s computer. But then I got her a laptop and she asked me to set her email up on that. Something about checking email and playing on facebook while she’s sitting on the couch watching her favorite show… More power to her.

Anyway, the old desk top is obviously not being used for email anymore so it would fit the solution you describe. Forcing the discipline and focus… simple concept that makes a heck of a lot of sense.

I’ve often coached clients to block and schedule time to allocate between income producing activity, marketing time, working on the future, and the dreaded administrative “OTHER” time. But, I answer the bell way to many times when the ole’ laptop bings to let me know another email has shown up. Will it be another Viagra spam email or will it be something critically important.

Thanks for the video Jim. Always entertaining.

All my Best!
Kevin

Hi Jim,

Great video – I loved LISTENING to it while I read my emails this morning

Addicted?? Who, me??

Great video Jim.
Like the solution re two computers and segmenting your day.
There is another basic option if you have only one computer. Do not open Outlook at all until a specific time of day. Turn off mobile phone or let it go to voicemail, do not open skype and also set skype and other messaging sevice to been unavailable.
I would prefer to give someone 100% attention than only 50%.
We could add people who are addicted to texting- SMS messaging. I find that can be very distracting and will put my phone in another room if I want to be focused.
Good reminder re how to manage emails

Too true Jim, I think everyone can be held responsible on some scale. I was just writing some content, half way through it I got bored (it is midnight already) and just had to check the email. It’s so easy to hit that button and get instant gratification from ‘NEW ORDER RECEIVED’

But you also get the other time consuming customer service emils to answer along with it. Thats a great idea not having email on a laptop that can be carried around to your favourite CREATIVE SPACE without the distractions of the EASY FIX BUTTON!

As a one man band, I hired a customer service email answering person through the internet which worked great for a while until they stopped due to other personal comimtments.

Since then Ive also discovered google canned responses (not the ones from adwords) but the ones you can program gmail to accomodate which has made email easier but again it still gets in the way of creativity.

I’ll remember your ideas on this Jim and put them into practice when I get my old laptop screen fixed!

Cheers
John

Great video Jim! Now, would you get out of my head? (I’ve been thinking about this for a few weeks now, and how to write about it).

Comments were made above about “missing out” on something if you don’t check e-mail often. What would you miss?

“Time-sensitive” offers?
“Scarcity” and “Urgency” tactics?
Overblown, lengthy video productions you can’t fast-forward through?
Sales pages with word counts that would make Tolstoy look amateur?

I think marketers need to re-think their own importance. If their products are worth more than a plug nickel, no “tactics” are needed. Think “Evergreen.”

Your two-computer idea is brilliant. I finally have a use for that laptop under the bed!

The only mails I would consider truly important are those that say “You made a sale,” “You have a support inquiry,” and “Update available for your software.”

Oh, and almost anything from Jim Edwards.

Thanks!

Hi Jim,
Very entertaing but the message is true for most of us I guess.
I use web mail and look at all emails on my laptop, sort them and any that I am interested in (or have downloads) I mark them and then go to my PC later.
So yes….. having 2 computers works for me!
Graham
P.S. I just watched your video on my laptop as I was working on my PC (LOL)

Good video, Jim, (luv the sign)

I’m fortunate that my email provider has Greymail which presorts my spammy stuff – very easy to go through and pick out anything that I might want to keep and forward to my Outlook mailbox. I can get rid of hundreds of junk mail letters in a couple of moments.

My best lesson came from David Ledoux several months ago (which you just re-explained to your viewers):

Only check email AFTER the morning’s creative burst has subsided (about lunchtime) and once again after I’ve completed the less mentally challenging tasks (graphics, etc.) that can be chunked-up into blocks of time. (This is usually just before dinner, when I am hungry and ready to be finished. Speeds things up!)

Nice to know that you GooRoos have to contend with the same human failings as we mere mortals. Thanks for sharing your solutions time and again.

Your friend,
Brennan

All too true, Jim!

I realized way too late that I should have been subscribing to ezines etc with a different email address. It’s too late now though — it’s out there and my emailbox is feeling the results!

Starting today, email only on the iPhone, not on the desktop.

Thanks for the great idea, Jim — I hope it works for you too!

Jim –

we gotta know if you do one on one coaching? We are looking for someone to help guide our sites to success. We’re tired of these so called “coaches” who don’t care, blow us off, forget appointments, etc.

Can you help?

Keith
http://www.trumpetresources.com

I’ve not really thought about it like that but this “email-thing” certainly has and does get too much of my time and attention!!!
Like i said, so far this year i have spent editing my email subscriptions and i am making very good progress indeed.
Now, when i sign up to yet another new discovery and download the free ebook/audio or whatever after you confirm your email details etc…I make a note of the new name and immediately decide if it’s worth sticking with. Suffice to say, practically all of them get “UNSUBSCRIBED”. You get to come away with a little freebie (you could do better yourself) and i am in control while i finish editing my usual regular emails. Did that make sense?
You have just got to be ruthless with the whole thing and get some control over it. I do feel much better for it.
Only stick with a few which give you the best information etc.
That way, you can get things done and get a life too.
I really enjoy recieving emails but the whole thing did get too much for me really and needed to be sorted.
In the 2 years i’ve had my laptop i have NOT hurt it with my with losing my temper. I THINK IT’S SAFE NOW!!!

The other ongoing problem is that emails pop in ALL DAY LONG!

You’re sittin there workin on your campaign or project and “da-ding” – another one or two emails come in.

You hurry and open it for fear that two or three more will arrive and make you do the same thing…

Thus, checking and opening them all day long…

Thus breaking concentration and making you always jumping in and out of your inbox, and your project may or may not get completed for that day.

Can I get an “amen” Jim?

Jim,

What we really need is a program that can import all emails from Outlook and Outlook Express to a more robust email client. As you know MS has a limited amount of space for their email and is not going to improve it. Who would have thunk we would need email storage measured in gigs instead of megs.

Hahahaha – dude – you ROCK!

I am soooo feeling you on the ‘email daemon’ – my butt used to get nailed to the chair too.

I used to get up fresh, full of spirit, ideas a plenty and ready to rock ‘n’ roll… I’d fire up the ‘ol money maker’ and it was…

….IN COMINGGGGGGGGGG! – lol

What I tend to do now, is get my partner to open up my email.

She is great at it… only knows ONE key on the keyboard… DELETE – lol

Seriously though… if there is something that has an ‘urgent’ look about it – I deal with it, but otherwise – if it’s not linked to my support desk I take a gander for 10 minutes and switch it off again.

Works for me!

Keep up the ‘hysterical stuff’ bud…

Sharpie ;o)

I hadn’t thought of it as Addicted but that is a good name for it.I have outlook. I tried to check my mail after I set it up. I thought I had but when I read the first email I couldnt save it. It kept telling me I coldn’t save it where I was trying to save and never could find any where to save so I log out and never opened it again. But not checking is not an option. If I don’t check a day or two I spend the next day and night going through them and with three coming while I am checking one I keep getting behind.

I have used two computers. I sign on to two addresses and while I am playing a video on one I check emails on th other. I think the two computers with AOL on one and canceled on the other is a better idea. I have helped on my problem some. Since Feb. first if someon sends me something from their friend and I have to give my name ans email it gets deleted. Mostof them I already have whatever it is anyway. Am working on making a list of every one I get emails from and any of them that are on more than one of my addresses gets canceloed on all but one. If they onlw send sel,sel,sel emails they get canceled too.

The five emails a day about the same thing is way to many and when someone has a new product they will be selling you get fifty emails from fifty different affiliates and they may send several emails a day for two weeks before it lanches. They sell all the copies before it even goes on sale. You get emails from someone with something that their friend juse made and it wont be free for long but I got it six or eight months ago.

Thanks for the video. It hit the nail on the head.

James

I think it would have been better it you stuck to the real catch phrase… “C’mon SON!” I also think you should have given credit to the creator… I’m actually a bit disappointed that you didn’t!

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about… Jim just ripped off Ed Lover… go see for yourself: http://cmonsononline.com

WOW!!! – “Your comment is awaiting moderation” Jim!! don’t tell me you’re affraid of people knowing the truth… I’ll be watching to see if you approve this!!

LOL!! TOO FUNNY!!!

Jim, I don’t think Lisa’s talking about the cardboard or copyright and she sure isn’t talking about the homeless. It’s about what you did and HOW you did it… after watching the videos, it’s quite obvious you were copying Ed, head to the side, mouth pushed up a bit, C’mon SON!! LOL!!

This reminds me of Eddie Murphy joking about people trying to tell his jokes and messing it up LOL!!!

You just messed up…

1. Firstly for messing up the joke (but it is kind of funny watching you mess it up) LOL!!

2. For not admitting that you were copying Ed (the card board and body language) hoping everyone thinks it’s your idea

3. For getting so angry with Lisa

For that…

Jim, you?re an idiot? have a great day

Jason

PS: I’m unsubscribing

PPS: I know you don’t care…

PPPS: That’s exactly why I’m unsubscribing LOL!! Take care Jimmy.

LOL!! TOO FUNNY!!!

Jim, I’m not talking about the cardboard or copyright and I’m sure not talking about the homeless. It’s about what you did and HOW you did it… It’s quite obvious you were copying Ed, head to the side, mouth pushed up a bit, C’mon SON!! LOL!!

This reminds me of Eddie Murphy joking about people trying to tell his jokes and messing it up LOL!!!

You just messed up…

1. Firstly for messing up the joke (but it is kind of funny watching you mess it up) LOL!!

2. For not admitting that you were copying Ed (the card board and body language) hoping everyone thinks it’s your idea

3. For getting so angry about it

For that…

Jim, you?re an idiot? have a great day

Lisa

PS: I’m unsubscribing

PPS: I know you don’t care…

PPPS: That’s exactly why I’m unsubscribing LOL!! Take care Jimmy.

DAMMIT!!! YOU GOT ME!!! LOL!!!

OKAY OKAY!!! WELL DONE INSPECTOR GADGET!!

Hi Jim,

Besides already knowing email is far too distracting in business (be it online or in regular businesses), I think a lot of people could get benefit from the outline you gave for a productive day.

I had to play your video again just so I could write down your outline (yes I am going to “copy” your idea and use it, I hope Lisa/Jason doesn’t get wind of me copying you), because I think it was GOLD.

I already use a timer for my tasks because it puts the pressure on me to get things completed before the time is up, but I don’t keep my eye on it I just work hard with the thought in the back of my mind that I’m on a time limit. If the timer goes off and I’m not finished but on a roll, I just add another block of time. If the timer goes off and I’m not on a roll, I move onto the next task and stop wasting time.

Thanks again Jim for some great ideas.

Ian

Hey Jim,
I’ve been using two computers for years – just didn’t know how smart it was! The main computer doesn’t have email – just the programs I need every day to get the work done.

The email is on a separate computer and that’s only what I use it for! Thanks for the videos…great material!

Deb

Mail from an ex- e-mail addict to another future ex- e-mail addict.
Jim you are right about the problem!
We can end up in needing a strategy to solve it.
But rather than focusing on the damage recovery, I would suggest you think about why you have felt it so important for you to answer your e-mails as the first duty of the day. Finding an answer might help you re-organize your priorities. Anyway welcome to the detox program!

Wow this video hit me hard. I spent over an hour yesterday trying to decide if I should buy a second computer just for that exact same issue! I need a place to do creative work so I am not distracted with busy stuff and feeding my email addition.

Thanks for saying out loud what I have been fighting with myself about.

I am committed to cutting the crap.

PS – I spent time listening to your 5 steps to getting anything you want in life cd yesterday (for about the 25th time!!!) I think I am starting to get it!!

PSS – Thanks Jim for being in my life even though you do not know who the heck I am!

Hi Jim,
I’m an e-mail junkie too.
Probably because I’m not financially well yet, but I find I must attend to e-mails 1st thing each day, or sometimes pay fees and penalties.
I’ve just today learned of a program that promises to rid me of junk mail however..www.spamarrest.com/affl?4176265. 30 day trial is $3.75. After the trial it’s $6 or less monthly. It’ll be worth it to have an end to SPAM since my email “blocked list” is past FULL.
Thanks for all your sage advise, really great training videos and LOL humor. I’ll be 70 this year and am DETERMINED to build many “cyber oilwells” with your training.

Lady B Gordon
Bellevue WA

Jim,

Several years ago I learned from Alex Mandossian to make an extensive list at night before I go to sleep of everything I need to do the next day. Include emails, letters, phone calls, follow ups, mailings, ideas, project initiations, continuations, and completions.Set up everything at night so that I can sleep well and ruminate on the work while I sleep. Also, it removes the stress from the prerssures of what is waiting to be done.

The key he taught me about email is to designate a time for email.
Nothing else takes place during that time. No other projects, no distractions, and no interruptions. Use that time exclusively for email, letters, and faxes. It should be your least productive time. Mine is immediately whewn I start working.

That’s not to say that you can’t do email other times of the day as well, but it frees me up to have drips of email issues throughout the day which is very manageable.

Once I start shutting down for the day, I do not look at email.
If I didn’t deal with it during the work day then there is nothing in email that can’t wait until tomorrow. I’m more driven by the freedom I have away from email than I am tied to anything that might be in an email.

This has worked incredibly well for me for 3 1/2 years.

As a higher level technique, when I started this discipline, I created a folder on my desktop called “TO DO LISTS.” Each day I list every possible thing I must do that day. Every day I change the date at the top. Most days I get through most of the list.
I have daily files in folders for every month in folders for every year for 4 years. I find it very visual and very powerful. Also, Mark Victor HAnsen recently helped me refine the te3chnique when I spent the day with him in his office.

Michael J. Herman