The #1 enemy

I do not have a minute to waste; life is too short.

I am up at 5:00 every morning and kicks things off with a fairly regimented routine.

Most of my morning are focused on planning my day. By 8:00, I am ready to tackle every issue that is to be resolved.

With a jam-packed day, there is one major nuisance that I just can’t be bothered with.

Other than Skype interview request from my beloved clients, I hate email.

With email, the whole world comes across at you; it is your agenda number one enemy and it is terrible, not to say a total waste of time.

Let it be also known that I took my work email out of my phone. All those emails would be going unread, waiting in my inbox, magically multiplying the way unread emails seem to do.

You want to retain my services!  

Other than wanting to retain my services, don’t bother me.

You have an urgent issue to resolve and need my services!

It’s all in my auto-reply, which goes to every single recipient who sends me an email:

“Thank you for reaching out. Being overwhelmed with unsolicited requests, I will not be answering your email. This does not mean that I am not available for business! If you need immediate attention or have to urgently deal with a commanding issue, it will be my pleasure to help and assist you. Do not hesitate to call me at the following number: 1-613-449-3278”

Every email does not demand an instant reply or a reply at all. Even if I do eventually get back, there’s no need to apologize if it takes a few hours or even a few days. I slashed the “Sorry for the delayed reply …” from my email vocabulary. I refuse to set the expectation that it’s abnormal to take a little time to reply.

I have opted out of one of the most important communication channels in today’s working world. It is not because everyone else emails that I should. Why should I?

I hate leaving people hanging as much as I hate being left hanging.

We live in a high-volume 24/7 email world. People are glued to their screens. Don’t expect me to act the same way.

Communicating to people that I am not going to play that game is important. This way, they don’t think that I might have fall off a cliff or just feel extremely slighted annoyed or pissed off.

Yes indeed, I am going off the grid for a bit and I will be checking email less frequently.

This doesn’t mean that I will not be immediately taking care of urgent matters or business issues; it just means that if you have some urgent issues to resolve you have to call me. You have my personal phone number.

Just don’t abuse it!

JMD

Michael Dennis is a former Corporate and Business Law Attorney, a Crisis & Reputation Management Expert, a Public Affairs & Corporate Communications Specialist, a Warrior for Common Sense & Free Speech helping you achieve greatness.

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