Use a countdown timer when writing email, and hit the Send button when time's up!

Use a countdown timer when writing email, and hit the Send button when time's up!

I've found, like many others, that email can be such a time-sucking activity. So what I've been doing with emails that require a lengthier reply is using a countdown program, AleJenJes Timer, which is free. I usually start the clock at 5 minutes and begin typing, concentrating on my task at hand without checking every second. This keeps me focused and generally conscious that time is literally a-tickin'.

Sometimes, it can feel weird, like a race against the clock but oh-so mellow. But here's the fundamental rule: when it tells me that time's up, I have to hit the Send button. No more changes, edits, or additional weighty paragraphs. At first when doing this, I felt really shaky and nervous, but if you're typing what you really mean to say, the worst that could possibly happen is some much-deserved embarrassment, which is fitting if you spend too much time on email anyway. And chances are you'll get a bemused reply asking you for more info. But the benefits are numerous: you communicated, you'll be learning to write more tersely and save reading time for your coworkers, and you can move onto your next task—

which means if it's another email, wind up the timer again and keep pressing on!

P.S. Special thanx to one of my fave sites, Lifehacker, for mentioning me for recommending AleJenJes Timer!

Tagged as: General