Reminders that are sent through email, while well meaning, can rob you of a lot of productive time. The problem is that even though many of these group reminders, about company policies, aren’t intended for you, you still have to read them.
In this episode of our Productivity at Work series, we talk about how this practice affects your time at work. You’ll also learn how your organization can replace this poor time management practice.
Ken Okel’s Productivity at Work video series is designed to make you more effective on the job. Every week, you’ll learn a new, easy to understand tip that you can use right away.
What Productivity Questions Does This Video Answer?
- How can I spend less time on work email?
- How can I receive fewer email reminders?
- What is a good work email policy?
- What’s an example of unnecessary email?
Video Transcript
Are you tired of repetitive email reminders? Are you tired of repetitive email reminders? It’s easy to reach for the mouse when you want to send a message but sometimes email is not the best way to convey that information. When it comes to productivity, a lot of people use email way too much.
The classic example: the repetitive reminder. Let’s say you’re supervisor in your organization. Every other Monday payroll is due. HR, every other Monday, sends you out a reminder, letting you know that payroll is due.
You already know that payroll is due on Monday. You don’t need an email reminder. The fact that you get an email reminder makes you think that something might be wrong with your payroll, so you have to drop everything and check your payroll to make sure everything is fine.
So in this instance, email is creating work for you. Instead of sending an email, perhaps the HR department to send every supervisor a note saying that payroll is due every other Monday.
You are responsible for putting a calendar item on your calendar however you like that lets you know this is what you have to do.
This way the people who are good at doing this don’t need to be reminded about. Email can take up time. I think you have better things to do with your time and be reminded to do things you’ve already done.
About Ken Okel
Ken Okel works with leaders and organizations to boost productivity, performance, and profits. At conferences, conventions, and company meetings, he engages audiences with new ways to maximize their time at work. To see a sample of his keynote and workshop presentations, visit: http://kenokel.com/video.html
