Avoiding constant email checking as a designer

I used to be a chronic morning email checker. The first thing I'd do after silencing my alarm was reach for my phone, squinting at the bright screen to see what "urgent" messages had come in overnight. It felt productive, like I was getting a head start on the day. But in reality, I was setting myself up for distraction and stress before I'd even had my first cup of coffee. While many of us default to checking our email or getting caught up in Slack first thing in the morning, I love the mornings when I practice our tactic called "Skip the Morning Check-In" (#23). The idea is simple but powerful: resist the urge to check your email, messaging apps, social media, or news first thing in the morning. Here's why it works: When you wake up, you've had a nice long break from the Busy Bandwagon and Infinity Pools. Your mind is fresh, rested, and free from distractions. It's a golden moment of calm and clarity. But as soon as you fire up that screen, you start a tug-of-war between the present moment and everything out there on the Internet. Suddenly, you're thinking about work emails, stressing over news headlines, or getting sucked into social media drama. By skipping the morning check-in, you preserve that feeling of rested calm. It's easier to get into Laser mode and focus on your Highlight for the day. I’ve found it’s helpful to set myself up for success the night before by closing all my browser tabs (#26), logging out of Gmail, LinkedIn, and X (#18), and powering down my phone. When I wake up, I brush my teeth, drink some water, do a super short meditation, then make my coffee and dive straight into my Highlight without any digital distractions. The key is to postpone that first check-in as long as you can. Maybe it's until 9 a.m., or 10 a.m., or even after lunch. Trust me, those emails and notifications will still be there when you're ready to face them. Give it a try this week. See how long you can go without checking in, and notice how it affects your mood and focus. You might be surprised at how much calmer your mornings become.

If you tallied how many times a day you check your email, would you be okay or shocked? Do you immediately check your email when you wake up and right before bed? Do you check it at red lights on your way to work? How about during a virtual meeting? Guilty! Studies show that constantly checking email affects your cognition, depletes your mental energy, and decreases your productivity. Yet, some of us check our emails constantly! Instead, the recommendation is to pick several times a day when you process email - not just check it. For example, pick a time in the morning, then again around lunchtime, and before you leave work to check and process important emails. Resist the urge to check every 15 minutes! If you're constantly checking email, I challenge you to start setting boundaries. - No email in bed - No email first thing in the morning until you've ______ (for me, it's read) - No email in the car To help me "step away from my email", I write myself a reminder in my planner (picture below). Remember, email isn't your job. Leading your team, managing operations, and serving your patients IS. Email is just a communication tool.  #leadershipdevelopment #nurselife #healthcareleaders

Let’s talk about email, that never-ending to-do list in your inbox. It’s easy to feel like you’re drowning in unread messages. You might not feel like this, but: your inbox shouldn’t control you, you control it. Here’s how I (try to) manage my inbox without stressing over the buildup: 1. Prioritise ruthlessly. Not every email is urgent, or even necessary. I flag what’s important, delegate what I can, and archive the rest (no need to delete, you never know when you might need an email). It’s about focusing on what moves the needle, not getting bogged down in the noise. 2. Set time blocks for email. This is a hard one. Especially with constant notifications on your laptop, mobile, slack and more. If you find that you’re always checking your inbox, it’s a definite productivity killer. Try to carve out specific times in the day to go through emails, no notifications pulling you off track every five minutes. 3. Delegate (and trust your team). You can’t, and shouldn’t, do it all. Trust your team to handle things and CC you only when absolutely needed. Clear delegation means fewer “just checking in” emails. 4. Use the 2-minute rule. If it takes less than 2 minutes to handle, do it immediately. Anything longer gets scheduled or delegated. Keep things flowing. 5. Let go of inbox zero. I know, “inbox zero” is nice in theory, but for busy us? It’s a myth. Instead, focus on managing your inbox with intention, not perfection. If there’s a backlog, so be it. Prioritise what matters and don’t let the rest stress you out. Your inbox is a tool, not a to-do list. Don’t let it hijack your day (or your sanity). 💡 Like this? Drop a comment on how you manage your inbox. #Leadership #ProductivityHacks #InboxManagement #CMO #TimeManagement