Mastering mind-full email management: strategies for staying present and productive
Email—like many of our digital communication channels, we love it and we hate it. We love it when it gives us that instant-hit of pleasure, the notification symbol, or the future-state thinking that maybe there’s something special in there waiting for us. But that hit of pleasure, or that potential for a congratulatory email, is often short-lived and replaced with emails that send you into a psychological fear state, “Is my boss mad at me?” “I can’t believe she has the audacity to ask me to help her AGAIN after I helped her the last time, and she did not even say thank you or let me know she received it after I spent so long on it!” “I’ll show her ‘boundaries.’ Boundary this, I’ll get back to you in a week.” “Are you kidding me? You want me to help you, and you’re telling me when to meet on your schedule?” By 9am, you’ve already had a few battles in your head with imaginary people and 3 hours of your day has been wasted.
For most people, the constant influx of emails often dictates the rhythm of our lives, it's crucial to revisit the profound insights of many wisdom traditions that emphasize the importance of being present in the moment and navigating life through 'clock time' rather than being ensnared by 'psychological time.' This blog post aims to explore how these principles apply to one of our most common daily activities: checking emails. Clock time is practical and rooted in the present; it's used for planning and organizing your day-to-day activities. Psychological time, on the other hand, is a mental construct that pulls us away from the present moment, often leading us into a labyrinth of past regrets and future anxieties. When we live in psychological time, we are neither fully in the present nor effectively planning for the future. Instead, we are caught in a cycle of mental and emotional preoccupations that rob us of our joy and presence.
Applying this to our email habits, the advice is clear and transformative: never check your email unless you are ready and willing to address them at that moment. When you check your emails without the intention to respond or take action, you inadvertently slip into psychological time. Your mind starts wandering into the future – pondering potential responses, worrying about impending tasks, or ruminating over the content of the messages. This not only disrupts your present-moment awareness but also creates a background noise of stress and anxiety, diminishing your ability to enjoy and fully engage with the current moment. Moreover, this approach aligns with the teachings of various wisdom traditions that advocate for mindfulness and intentional living.
By choosing to engage with emails only when you're prepared to deal with them, you practice a form of mindfulness. You assert control over your attention and time, rather than letting an external trigger like an email notification dictate your focus and emotional state. This practice has several benefits. Firstly, it enhances your productivity and efficiency when you do sit down to address your emails, as you're fully focused and not distracted by other tasks or thoughts. Secondly, it contributes to a more balanced and less stressful life, as you're not constantly pulled away from your current tasks or leisure activities. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it cultivates a habit of presence, allowing you to savour the richness of the 'now' without the shadow of unfinished business lurking in your mind.
Here are some practical strategies to help you manage your emails mindfully:
Close Your Inbox When Not in Use: Avoid keeping your email inbox open when you're not actively working on your emails. An open inbox can be a source of constant distraction, pulling your focus away from your current tasks. By closing your inbox, you minimize impulsive email checking and stay more present in your current activity.
Set Aside Specific Times for Email: Designate specific times in your day for checking and responding to emails. Choose times that suit your schedule, such as once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Communicate these times to your colleagues and close contacts so they know when to expect your response. This practice helps you manage your emails in a structured and focused manner.
Avoid Checking Email First Thing in the Morning: Resist the urge to check your email as soon as you wake up. Starting your day by engaging with your inbox can set a reactive tone for the rest of the day. Instead, allow yourself a morning routine that sets you into the present moment and allows, embraces and prioritizes joy into your life.
Allocate Time for Thoughtful Responses: If an email requires a detailed response or consideration, set aside a separate time for this task. This allows you to approach your responses with full attention and clarity, ensuring that you are responding in the present moment with thoughtfulness and care.
Avoid Mental Rehearsals and Overthinking: It's easy to fall into the trap of mentally rehearsing responses or overthinking the content of emails. Instead, focus on addressing emails during your designated times and remind yourself to return to the present moment outside these periods (which will be easier because you’ve seen and dealt with the issue at once in the present!).
Communicate Your Process: If you need more time to consider a response, acknowledge this in your reply. Let the sender know that you have received their email and will address it fully by a specific date. This keeps the communication open and manages expectations.
Last Bite: By implementing these strategies, you can transform your relationship with email from one of stress and reactivity to one of mindfulness and control. Managing your emails in this way not only enhances your productivity and efficiency but also contributes to a more balanced and less stressful life. Embrace these practices to reclaim the joy and presence of the current moment, making each interaction intentional and meaningful.
