{"id":53090,"date":"2012-07-04T04:00:21","date_gmt":"2012-07-04T09:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=55"},"modified":"2012-07-04T04:00:21","modified_gmt":"2012-07-04T09:00:21","slug":"yes-you-can-stay-on-top-of-email","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/yes-you-can-stay-on-top-of-email\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes, You Can Stay on Top of E-mail"},"content":{"rendered":"

A while back, one of my friends asked, \u201cHow do you get through all of your email. It\u2019s killing me. I just can\u2019t seem to get on top of it.\u201d I know the feeling.<\/p>\n\n

Actually, I get asked this question a lot. Despite all the current technology and software tools available, many people are falling further behind with each passing day. They just can\u2019t seem to keep up with the avalanche of digital messages hitting their inbox.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But it is really possible to get caught up on your email and stay caught up?<\/p>\n

Yes.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve done so for years, even as the demands of my career have increased. I\u2019m not bragging; it\u2019s just a fact.<\/p>\n

But I should warn you: there is no easy fix. Taking control of your inbox means changing your behavior. You must be willing to make the investment.<\/p>\n

When you are not on top of your email, you feel out of control. Becoming an email ninja is therefore an essential survival skill. But in my opinion, making the investment is well-worth the effort.<\/p>\n

When you are not on top of your email, you feel out of control. It is like a dripping faucet that gnaws quietly away at your psyche and your self-confidence.<\/p>\n

It can also torpedo your career, since people tend to associate responsiveness with competence. Therefore, becoming an email ninja is an essential survival skill.<\/p>\n

If I had to boil it all down, I would recommend these four behaviors:<\/p>\n

1. Empty your inbox everyday.<\/h3>\n

This must be your goal. You want to be able to go to sleep with every message processed. That doesn\u2019t mean you answer every message. However, it does mean that you have processed<\/em> every message. There\u2019s a big difference, as I will explain in a minute.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t get bogged down, keep moving.<\/h3>\n

The key is that once you start processing your inbox, you must move quickly. Read each message once<\/em> and answer this question: \u201cIs this message actionable?<\/em>\u201d In other words, \u201cAm I being asked to do something?\u201d If so, there are only three possible actions:<\/p>\n