Emails are energy vampires

What time are you supposed to start work?
What time do you sit down at your desk and actually do something constructive?

Assuming this is a work day for you - what was the first thing you did this morning?

Did you work on that proposal you said you needed to do "first thing" or that article that's a day late? What about organising the next round of sales calls and making them?

I can almost bet - the first thing you did this morning is that same as what you did yesterday morning. You turned on the computer and opened up your email and started reading things that didn't need to be opened let alone read.

And I can almost guarantee you also spent a good deal of time telling everyone who would listen - just how much work you've got to do, what you did last night and what you have planned for the weekend.

Don't you think you would you get more done if you didn't spend the first hour talking to your friends and colleagues in person and via the many social networking sites that have sprung up to proliferate our days? I think we all know the answer to that one....but let me clarify for the hard of thinking - YES you would get more done if you sat down and did it.

We can and do get faked out thinking email is important. Some of it may be. But if you have a serious deadline approaching my advice would be - don't turn on the email until after you have completed your work.

Spend the first hour of the day "working" not pretending to "work" and you will get more done. Then when you do get to look at your emails you will see them for what they are - ways to waste time. They suck any ounce of creativity you had when you got up and drove into work - why - because it's everyone elses wants and needs

- Do this
- Do that
- Send me this on
- Have you heard the one about (yes the funnies and jokes we get sent) - filter them....or delete them...you've probably seen most of them before anyway.
Can you do me a favour - ( these should be sub-titled "no I am not going to pay you for your time, but if you could spend several hours chasing something down for me at no cost to me that would be great...")

I'm not saying genuine inquiries should be ignored, or requests for sales information - when you do log on - do those first and only those things that bring you money - you are in the business of making money aren't you? Then turn off the email again and get stuck into the next item on your must do today list.

Remember: To-do lists are that - must do today because we don't know where tomorrow will take us.

And if you don't know what you spent your time on this morning - download another copy of the time log and fill it in. You'll find it here...

Give your energy to the important things and stop giving it to things and people who don't matter.