E-mail Obsession

THE SKINNY
How much e-mail is enough, and do I control it or does it control me?

THE STORY
A friend on mine recently confessed on Facebook: "I have an obsession of constantly checking emails when @ my computer. I learned @ a Franklin Covey seminar a couple years ago that this is a terrible time waster. FC recommended checking emails only 2-3 times daily (morning, lunch, evening). I can't do that. But I've been setting my phone alarm for a few days to only check emails every 45-60 mins. Even this can be hard! But it's working. I feel more productive."

THE SCORE
Like any obsession or addiction (coffee, drugs, e-mail) we have to decide who's going to run the show - - me or them? I think it's not just about good time management but deciding and disciplining ourselves about what is enough. In the world of Facebook and mobile devices we now live in, I think there is a latent fear everyday that we're missing something if we're not constantly connected. Just because we CAN be connected all the time, do we have to be connected all the time? This is a question each of us needs to answer for ourselves to find peace and balance in our lives in this fast-moving information age. As my friend illustrates above, sometimes all it takes is making a simple agreement with yourself and sticking to it.