Make it easy to do what matters
By: Christina Crook
Tags: Email, Focus, Digital, Relationships, Social Media

Like every tap-happy iPhone user, I must train myself to focus.

When I’m writing, I open a clean new document, go to the view tab and make it full screen. I have to log out of social media — it’s just that little bit of friction that keeps me from looking at it. And then, if I’m lucky, I can focus for a good hour.

Each time I enter creative flow, I closely consider the conditions that got me there. It’s a work-in-progress, but my goal is to make it easier to go right and harder to go wrong the next time I sit down to write.

When we break things down into achievable pieces, we achieve our goals, gaining momentum, confidence, and hope.

Peaceful Progress

Financial coaches like Dave Ramsey will tell you that when you have multiple debts, you should begin with the smallest, regardless of interest levels. Early in our marriage, my husband and I followed this advice with astounding results. When we paid off one of my husband’s smaller school debts, we high five’d each other. Yes! We can do this! Then, we were onto the next, eventually paying off the big kahuna. Over the course of a year, by scrimping, saving, and working our tails off, we did it, together. We were forming new habits of saving. We had built momentum.

When it comes to the bank account of your life, you want to spend it well. One of the places it’s all too easy to lose precious time and attention is processing the content coming at you, particularly through your email inbox.

Here, take a sip from this firehose…

That’s how it can feel when you consider the sheer volume of information you’re expected to process on a daily basis. Inbound email is one of those unavoidable places you can feel like you’re drowning. It’s easy to forget that you opened the hydrant in the first place.

I am here to remind you that you control your digital consumption.

Three simple adjustments to your email will help you stem the flow:

1. Consistently cull your email account

The sheer quantity of emails you receive can make it difficult to get at what really matters. Once a month, spend 20 minutes culling the newsletters you subscribe to. To do this effectively and efficiently, ask yourself these questions:

Who is this? Do you know, right now, who/what this contact is?

Does this feel good or is it important? Is your immediate emotional impression that this contact “makes me feel good” or “is important”?

Do I want to bring this with me? Is there specific value in carrying this connection forward- and can you state for yourself exactly what it is?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” unsubscribe. Let it go.

2. Limit your email access

Creating mindful friction is how we protect ourselves against bad habits. Friction is essentially making something just inconvenient enough that we have to do it consciously, instead of letting our lizard brain, addiction, or conditioned response do it mindlessly.

Friction is putting a tiny speed bump in the process of something that lets our conscious mind grab the wheel and say, “Hey. What I am I about to do here? Do I actually want to be doing that?”

If possible, only access email from your computer — when you choose to do so. Deleting email from your phone, tablet, or smartwatch will dramatically decrease distraction.

3. Automate as much as possible

A simple way to reclaim control of the inflow is to automate the outflow. I’m talking about autoresponders.

Most people only think of using them for vacations (remember those?) but these preset tools, used effectively, can dramatically decrease email stress by managing people’s access to your attention.

Here are a few of my favourites:

From: Jonathan Fields Subject: In Maker Mode Hi there! Thanks for reaching out. I’m head’s down working on a series of new endeavors. To do my best work, I’ve learned that I need to be largely in what I call “Maker mode.” It’s about being less reactive, more intentional, and invested in doing the work I’m here to do on the level that allows me to be on-purpose, fully-expressed and in-flow. That means longer, more focused windows of creation, undisturbed by inboxes, updates, errant asteroids, chocolate (hahahaha, like that’ll ever disturb me!) and more. So, I’ll be in my inbox way less often. If your message requires a time-sensitive reply — kindly email support@goodlifeproject.com. My team there will take care of you, or know how to track me down for any truly time-critical responses. Thanks so much for your kind understanding. :)

Vacation settings for your email don’t only have to be used for actual vacations. Is there something you need to take a time out for? Email will be waiting for you when you come back from a walk, reading a book, or spending time with your lover. Trust me.

From: Salimah Ebrahim Subject: Reading books not emails this week! Hi! Thanks for your message — I’ll actually be away from my inbox from July 17–21st and look forward to responding starting July 22nd. In the meantime, I will be reading “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong, “Educated” by Tara Westover, and “Revenge of the Analog” by David Sax! I’d love to know what you’re reading this summer — there’s nothing I love better than sharing a summer reading list — so reply to this message if you’re so inclined and I’ll look forward to checking out both your original email and book rec(s) next week! Take care, s. ps. If your message is urgent and related to Artery, please email Vladic at founders@artery.is

Do you know that Essentialism author Greg McKeown doesn’t access email before 4 pm? While this kind of boundary may be a luxury for most, it’s a reminder that you decide what’s essential to you.

You control your digital consumption. Make it as easy as possible to get at the things that matter.

This is your life we’re talking about. It’s worth the effort.

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Interested in keeping your inbox, social media accounts, and other digital spaces optimized? Every month, I lead members of the JOMO membership — Navigate —through a live Digital House-Cleaning to tidy up and make it easy to get at what matters.

Join our joyful community to overcome digital overwhelm, do your best work, and experience more joy.