Is Deleting Technology the Answer?

In its most recent annual study, the Institute for Business Technology determined that the average U.S. professional spends 9.4 hours each week just managing email. And that doesn't count the time spent actually writing or answering them! It all adds up to $650 billion in lost productivity for American firms, according to one estimate.

Okay, I admit it. I am one of the few who doesn't own a Blackberry. It doesn't bother me not to have one however, a part of me would like to have what everybody else has... a status item sans the stress. When I travel, I take my laptop and my Sprint aircard so I have access to the Internet every place I go. However, I can't check email on the fly like everybody else. But, as strange as it may seem, I am content that I'm not "connected" 24/7.

I cherish my down time and I enjoy checking email at certain times of the day. And if someone really wants to reach me in an emergency they can always call me. Speaking of calling, have you noticed that your land line doesn't ring as much as it did four or five years ago? My land line seldom rings anymore. That tells me that more people rely on email to communicate.

So if you email me and I don't respond right away, it isn't because I don't care or think your message is unimportant. It's simply because I'm managing my time wisely.

Here are five ways to cut the time (and money) it costs to process email on your Blackberry or PC:

1. Think of messages in terms of monetary value; ignore anything worthless.
2. Create an email filing system that reflects the way you think.
3. Simply send fewer emails. You'll receive fewer emails.
4. Delete without reading any emails that cc you and two or more recipients.
5. Set regular times each day to respond to email and stick to them.

Source: Institute for Business Technology