Can we talk about the way I used to handle email replies?

For about 3 years I would answer every email the second it came in, thinking I was being super responsive. Then my boss pulled me aside after a quarterly review and asked why my project deadlines kept slipping. She pointed out that I had 47 unread flagged emails from last month that I never circled back to. That's when I realized I was just reacting instead of actually managing my time. Now I batch my email replies twice a day and it feels way more controlled. Has anyone else had that moment where you figure out your workflow is working against you?

3 comments

3 Comments

wood.eric2d ago

Oh man, I totally feel this one... it's brutal when you realize you've been working against yourself the whole time. That moment when your boss points out the pile of unread emails hits different. Really glad you found a system that works better for you now.

jana_shah2d ago

Right there with you, it's so easy to miss your own bad habits until someone points them out for you.

linda1141d agoTop Commenter

Mine was when my sister casually mentioned I interrupt people constantly during dinner. I thought I was just being "engaged" in the conversation. Nope, I was just being annoying and cutting everyone off. It took me like six months to catch myself every time I did it, and I still screw up sometimes. But hey, at least now I can eat a meal without my family giving me the death stare. Small wins.