As far back as I can remember my e-mail software checks for new messages every 10-15 minutes. Even in the midst of implementing David Allen’s GTD and focussing my energies on the task at-hand new email was trickling in and taunting me to read the subject line.

For a very short time I played with the idea of checking e-mail twice a day. It didn’t work because I often needed to be in Mail to peform a task and once it was opened, new mail poured in.

Then it hit me: turn off automatic e-mail checking. My inbox can stay open all day and I don’t need to lose focus on new messages.

Am I tempted to click the “Get Mail” button? Not really because I know that doing so might sideline me and make a mess of my inbox. With this new method of managing influx the “check it twice daily” strategy is worh revisting.

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