Before you started noodling through all the messages that are in your inbox, try a new perspective.
Think of an emergency room intake nurse. The nurse “triages” patients based on their priority, not based on when they arrived or how quickly they can be served. Instead, patients are triaged according to what requires attention first. As an example, a person with a head injury will be seen immediately, while someone with a broken finger may wait for hours. (I know, I’ve sat there and sat there and sat there…)
Patients aren’t treated based on which injury can be handled the fastest, or in the easiest way. Patients are treated based on severity, and what is most important.This is the way we need to approach our incoming e-mail in order to take control of the neverending influx of “stuff” that shows up there…
Another thing that the e-mergency room intake nurse doesn’t do is to say, “stay right here in front of me so I can see you and be reminded to call you to see the Doctor.” He or she makes a record of each, and sorts them by priority, then “works” them in that order. Leaving all kinds of messages in your inbox is akin to the “stay right here in front of me… “example. Sort your messages into folders where you can find them, in the priority you need to work them.
You’ll be surprised at how well this works.
