02/ 11/ 2008
by Laura Creekmore
Looking up from a project the other day, I realized I'd neglected my inbox: It was backed up to 87 e-mails, just sitting there, weighing me down. I know some of you are spitting out your coffee—just 87 e-mails? I have 1,973, you say, or maybe just 489. I know, I know. I used to be like that, too. I was so proud of my ability to juggle all the communications I received every day—from clients, employees, friends—and still be effective.
But I wasn't really all that effective. I wasted so much time finding what I needed. Occasionally, I'd run across an e-mail that I should have taken care of a month ago, but it got buried by each new day's avalanche. And don't get me started on my computer files.
If you're struggling under the information avalanche, I recommend Mark Hurst's Bit Literacy: Productivity in the Age of Information and E-Mail Overload (Good Experience Press, 2007). Hurst demands that we rake our inboxes down to zero every single day.
But what about that e-mail I need to think about? Or, here's one I didn't get to, so I'll handle it tomorrow. No. They all must go.
Hurst's magic is that he recognizes how detrimental the e-mail flood is and acknowledges that we can't turn down the flow. But we can channel information into useful categories: Folders for your e-mail, a naming and filing system for your electronic documents, a planned way to handle any to-do. I'm not a by-the-book person, but I've found that Hurst's rules make my life easier.
You may or may not find his proprietary system useful for your to-do list, but you can't argue with the fact that we all need a system to manage information. Hurst's Bit Literacy tools provide a framework for managing your business and life information, so you can always put your hands on the e-mail you need, when you need it.
NFIB.com
For more insight on how to keep information overload at bay, visit the “Office” section of www.NFIB.com/toolsandtips.
