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How to Radically Reduce Time You Spend on Email

Read more about the book I mentioned in the video.

This is Dr. Mercola, and I want to welcome you to another video update. Today's subject is about time saving, which is in fact related to your health. If you don't have enough time, you're not going to be able to pursue activities that are going to make you healthy, such as exercise, and shopping for, and preparing, good foods.

For most of us, e-mail is a significant time drain. I don't know about you, but I frequently get up to 150, maybe even 200, e-mails a day, and it tends to consume a large portion of my day. So I thought I'd share with you a strategy that I'm going to be adopting, which I think you'll find useful too.

I learned about this strategy in a new book which I've really been enjoying called, Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. This book gives you some really great principles for reducing the amount of things you're doing in life, while still being able to achieve your goals.

With respect to e-mail, a helpful strategy is to check e-mail only twice a day. Yes! Twice a day! This deals with the problem we run into when we get into the habit of e-mailing and responding in a quick fashion, which in turn increases the likelihood of generating additional e-mail.

I'm very excited about adopting this new strategy, because the less e-mail I have to do, the more time I have to pursue other activities. Hopefully, this is helpful for you. I recommend picking up a copy of Tim Ferriss' book, in which you'll find many other helpful hints.

Thanks for watching. I hope this info helps you to save more time, and so, enable you to take control of your health.




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Article's Comment     ( 59 Comments )
 
 
 +26 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY Carol Morrisey   
  
[ Joined on 06/06 ]
[ Posted on May 29, 2007 ]
Post Reply
I would save hours per week if only Dr. Mercola's newsletter were shorter and less interesting!  (But keep up the good work, please.)  I am pleased that text has been added to his videos, because I can read much faster than he can talk, and I am a visual learner, so I get more out of a printed text too.  The video clips from other sources are often interesting but too long, so I usually regretfully skip them.
    Vital Votes comments are sometimes fascinating, other times repetitious or irrelevant, and it takes a while to weed out the wheat from the chaff.  I'm honing my skimming skills.  I keep seeing some of the same people commenting.  You folks must have plenty of time!  Nice meeting you!  Please try to keep comments concise and to the point.
 

 -3 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY halcyon   
  
[ Joined on 05/07 ]
Author of the Article [ Posted on May 30, 2007 ]
 
I agree.  One way Dr. Mercola could help me save time is to make his newsletter smaller and less frequent!  :)

 
 +12 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY Amanda Rose   
  
[ Joined on 06/06 ]
[ Posted on May 29, 2007 ]
Post Reply
Thanks, Dr. Mercola.  I've been hearing a lot about the book and your post put me over the edge.  I must buy it.

Amanda

 
 +9 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY Zambini   
  
[ Joined on 05/07 ]
[ Posted on May 29, 2007 ]
Post Reply
I think that checking your e-mail only twice a day is a good thing if you are an immediate responder.  I've always been diligent about replies, but not immediate unless need be.  I admit I peek to see if I have any new mail more than twice a day, but I only reply when time permits. 

Yes, replying more does get you more e-mail!  In the case of my Mom though, it is usually a 1 or two liner and she recently told me she likes to get mail.  So, I consider her desire to keep in touch with her 6 children who are all far away. 

I can definitely see how in Dr. Mercola's business e-mail could be a giant time sucker.  As with everything, it depends on your situation. 

I actually have several addresses, and my mail is sorted as it comes in with handy filters.  So, I can check the address that my message boards come to when I feel like replying.  I can check the address that close friends and family comes to more often to make sure they don't need an instant reply.  And, I can check my survey, fun stuff address whenever I feel like it - usually only once or twice a week (and I leave that mail online so as not to tempt me when I see something new in a mailbox).  It makes for a convenient system for me. 

 
 +8 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY intheboondocks   
  
[ Joined on 05/07 ]
[ Posted on May 29, 2007 ]
Post Reply
Aren't you getting hung up on the comments and not the message from Dr. Mercola.  I just spent good time signing up just to make this comment.  Focus... I am interested in what others think of this video message. 
 

 +1 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY Pwyll