Comments on: Tip of the Week: TIME BOXING! http://www.Writers-Nook.com/tip-of-the-week-time-boxing/ Encouraging, Inspiring, and Equipping Christian Writers and Self Publishers Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:41:22 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Cindy Rushton http://www.Writers-Nook.com/tip-of-the-week-time-boxing/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Cindy Rushton Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:41:22 +0000 http://www.Writers-Nook.com/?p=426#comment-10 Hi! Thanks for your feedback. Email is a "challenge" for me as well! For those of us who are managing our businesses ourselves (not outsourcing), email can be a big booger. I don't think I could get all of my email finished for the day in just 15 minutes. Of course, as we shared above, the idea is to set a limit and allow plenty of time for tasks like email or writing. 1 hour SHOULD be better. If I really focus in hard and work uninterrupted, 1 hour is good most days. I do come back and check email at the end of the day too--to be sure that I answer any that cannot wait. One other thing that I do with the email monster is use files in Outlook. My files automatically direct emails into files that help me prioritize without distractions. If I have very limited time, I only open the "Orders Folder" and work through those. Most everything else can wait. I also glance through my inbox to be sure that there are no immediate needs for tech support. Doing that, I can usually work through everything in those folders in about 15-20 minutes, sometimes less and sometimes just a few minutes more. I work my entire business this way. I try to balance my business every day so I can end the day feeling that sweet feeling of success. I don't want any one area to get too heavy and out of balance. Hope that this year is your very best ever! Keep in touch! With much love, Cindy Hi!

Thanks for your feedback. Email is a “challenge” for me as well!

For those of us who are managing our businesses ourselves (not outsourcing), email can be a big booger. I don’t think I could get all of my email finished for the day in just 15 minutes. Of course, as we shared above, the idea is to set a limit and allow plenty of time for tasks like email or writing. 1 hour SHOULD be better. If I really focus in hard and work uninterrupted, 1 hour is good most days. I do come back and check email at the end of the day too–to be sure that I answer any that cannot wait.

One other thing that I do with the email monster is use files in Outlook. My files automatically direct emails into files that help me prioritize without distractions. If I have very limited time, I only open the “Orders Folder” and work through those. Most everything else can wait. I also glance through my inbox to be sure that there are no immediate needs for tech support. Doing that, I can usually work through everything in those folders in about 15-20 minutes, sometimes less and sometimes just a few minutes more.

I work my entire business this way. I try to balance my business every day so I can end the day feeling that sweet feeling of success. I don’t want any one area to get too heavy and out of balance.

Hope that this year is your very best ever! Keep in touch!

With much love,
Cindy

]]> By: Diane http://www.Writers-Nook.com/tip-of-the-week-time-boxing/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Diane Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:10:36 +0000 http://www.Writers-Nook.com/?p=426#comment-9 This is an idea that I just had decided to try out, for managing my email time. I thought I would give myself 15 minutes for a quick review of new emails, response to any that need attention right away or won't take long, and then leave other email work until later in the day. I have been having a problem with email taking far too long early in the day, when I need to spend time doing other things. Giving myself a time increment (time boxing) might be a good solution... but I need to box in some time later, too... that might not be so easy.... I appreciate your helpful ideas and advice on writing and home business. This is an idea that I just had decided to try out, for managing my email time. I thought I would give myself 15 minutes for a quick review of new emails, response to any that need attention right away or won’t take long, and then leave other email work until later in the day. I have been having a problem with email taking far too long early in the day, when I need to spend time doing other things. Giving myself a time increment (time boxing) might be a good solution… but I need to box in some time later, too… that might not be so easy….

I appreciate your helpful ideas and advice on writing and home business.

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