Working from home oftentimes entails battling many distractions. One of the most common is technology, in particular email and social media.
We are often looking for ways to control our use of social media and the overwhelming amount of email we can get. One writer friend recently returned from a vacation and tweeted how she was working through 300 email messages.
I know that if I take just one day away from email, it can quickly mount up. Then you feel like you need to catch up on what has happened on Facebook.
But I think what we need to concentrate more on is not controlling our email and social media; instead, we need to control ourselves. We need to change our own behavior.
It is easy to blame the lure of technology. Yet the reality is that we make the choice to become distracted by it.
There are so many ways we can control our behavior. We can minimize what we subscribe to. We can schedule time in our day for reading emails and using social media. We can set up a system that helps streamline the flow of information that is coming to us.
For instance, with email I usually do one of three things. I immediately read it and respond, trash it or file it.
I have a system for filing my email. One folder is labeled “Print,” for those emails that require printing. I usually do that over the weekend. Another folder is labeled “Process,” for those
emails I need to take action with (that usually require more than a few moments). Another folder is “Read Later,” for longer emails that will require more time.
With social media the biggest change in my behavior that I have made is scheduling time to use it. I don’t spend time on Facebook or Twitter while working. I save it for breaks or later in the evening.
With so many distractions that can pull you while working from home, there are ways you can control email and social media. Or should I say…there are ways to control your use of it.
Related Articles:
Tackling Time-Wasters and Distractions – Part 1
The Best Way to Use Your Time – Part 3
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