Here’s a quick technique for reducing what’s in your in-basket. I do this exercise whenever I need a boost of energy, a shot of confidence or a sense of accomplishment.
Action – Start by making space for two piles of paperwork on your desk.
Turn off the phone and email for no less than 30 minutes. If you can’t actually turn them off, commit to not answering them.
Next, grab the stack in your in-basket and divide it into two piles: one pile for “the next action takes less than two minutes” and the other for “the next action takes more than two minutes”.
Then do everything in the “less than two minutes” stack. Put the other stack aside to work on later.
You’ll be amazed by two things – first, just how much stuff has been hanging around for longer than necessary and, second, just how much you can get done in two minutes!
Hi there,
This is useful for me.
Thanks and Best Regards,
Yukiya Ishimaru
Having worked for year with foreigners it’s just the way I start my daily job. What I am not able to is to stop answering the phone …
but this simple reminder it’s a new commitment … Thanks!
Hi Nancy,
I like this idea.It actually works to organize the smaller things and complete them so they are out of the way. You can then focus more on the things that take longer.
Hi Nancy – Agree 100%. Now how do I reduce all of the e-mails that have piled up in my inbox?
Hi Joann
Exactly the same way. I do an initial run-through, ‘flagging’ (in one way or another) those emails that are quick replies (less than 2 minutes) and leaving the others. Then I go back through for, say, 60 minutes, answering all those emails under 2 minutes. Also on my initial run-through, I delete everything I truly know I just won’t deal with (newsletters, things to read, stuff I just won’t do).
Give it a shot and let us know what happens!
Nancy
Great reminder!! Thanks Nancy