Mailboxes, Jugglers and Bunny Slippers

I wrote this for my company's blog but thought I'd share it here, too, since it can apply to any of us.   Hope you enjoy it!!

I am showing my age by saying that I remember very well life before email and text messages. There were a lot more meetings, a lot more phone calls, and a lot more mail in the mailbox –the one next to the street you plant flowers around.   I remember having beautiful stationery reflecting my style and personality and professionally created business stationery. I remember wearing out the Bell South phone book and my overflowing Rolodex.  I remember having beautiful handwriting, using a typewriter, a dictionary and knowing numerous addresses and phone numbers by heart.  I even remember busy signals!

It’s really kind of amazing when you think about how modern technology has changed our lives in regards to how we communicate.  To think that correspondence can go around the globe in a split second is mind-boggling to me.   

On one hand it is wonderful…no stationery and stamps to buy and no long distance charges…and just think about how many trees are saved.   Communication is instantaneous now.  It allows us to get things done faster especially when collaborating with others on whatever the situation, event or project.  It allows us to be more productive, more efficient and even, in a different way, more social.   It allows me to be able to work remotely.  Wherever I am, I’m ‘in the office’ and going to work each day in my PJ’s and slippers is a bonus.

But there are a few drawbacks to this technology.  Can our brains really handle the overload of communication?  I may not be able to walk and chew gum but I can sure tend to emails and text messages while doing other things at the same time…or can I?

Here’s a true story from last week:   I’m sitting at the airport waiting to board my flight home.  Like everyone at the gate, I was looking at my phone checking email.  In the middle of one with an important question that needed a quick response, my son calls…I leave email, answer, chat with my boy and hear a ding that I have a text message.   I look at the message which was another urgent question from a franchisee that I’ll respond to when I hang up.  Call ends, I go to the text message and the boarding announcement comes over the loudspeaker.  I had made it to the upgrade list so I had to get on first because that’s just a cool (and rare) thing to get to do.  After getting settled in my first class seat and feeling lucky, I go back to that email that needed a response.  The flight attendant interrupts  because she loves my shoes and I had to tell her what a bargain they were.  After that distraction, I go back to the phone and begin responding to the text.  I’ve forgotten about the email.  Now my phone rings again.  It’s the husband just checking to see if the flight is leaving on time.   Now the attendant is announcing to turn phones off.   2 hours later I’m back home to my welcoming committee of husband with a martini ready and the excited doggies.  Then I’m unpacking, doing laundry, making dinner, and guess what?   Neither email nor text got a response.  Now I look and feel like the rudest, most inattentive, non-caring person on the planet.  Because of that attempt at juggling,  I let two people down that needed something from me.

So I’m making some changes to improve my communication management and etiquette.

Instead of hopping off what I’m doing when I hear the ‘ding’, I’m going to check email and text messages 5 times a day.

I actually have turned off the ‘dings’ on all equipment and devices.  During those 5 times, I will stay focused on the email responding appropriately to each one, then I’ll go to the texts.

One might say, “Well, that’s just normal nowadays, get over it!”  I never have been and never want to be ‘ just normal’.  Who does?

I've turned on the Preview Pane in email so I can prioritize the urgency of each email.

I'm looking for how I can see an email on my phone that won't mark it as read on the computer.  I've had things 'get lost' doing that.  Let me know if you know how to make that work.

I’m going to get over the need to be a master multi-tasker and recognize that there is no such thing.  I can have only one thought at a time.  Those thoughts may be fast and back and forth but it’s true, changing those thought gears distracts and takes time.  Time to focus and refocus.

After a slight wrist-slapping from a co-worker who I won't name but his initials are MK, I made this promise: "On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to…..respond to every Showhomes email". 

Responses are simply courteous and don’t require writing a novel.  I know myself, it can be quite disheartening to send an important or informational email and hear back from no one.  I don’t want to be guilty of that any more.  I’m going down the ‘do unto others’ path.  I promise!

My husband’s company has created a culture where all interoffice emails REQUIRE a response in 7 words or less. I love that!  This, at the very least, acknowledges receipt of the message. Maybe we could create that culture among our network??

"Thanks for bringing it to my attention"

"Haven't found time for it, YET"

"I'll get right on it"

"I'm clear on it"

"Got it, Thanks"  or   "Not yet, sorry"

"No, thanks"   or   "I will"

"Thanks"   or   "Okay"   or   "Yes"   or "No"   or   "Great"

I wonder what’s next to have to learn, refine and manage.  My greatest fear is that it's going to be video conferencing.  That will take some adjustments for me.  It will require changing from my PJ’s, putting on make-up and doing my hair.  I’ve become spoiled to no dress codes working from home.  At least you won’t see my bedroom slippers!

Cheers!!
Lynn