Based on the research, life-hacking and entrepreneurial tips that are out there, you may have started to build negative associations with email. After all, it’s just a convenient organization system for someone else’s agenda for your day, right?
We do have to keep in mind that different things work for different people. If everyone achieved productivity and success uniformly, there wouldn’t be so many recommendations out there about how to do it. Of course, you don’t want all of your creative energy and decision-making willpower to be wasted on email. However, there are several reasons answering email first thing in the morning can help you to get your day off to a better start.
Let’s take a look at why starting your day off with email could be a wise move.
It’s On Your Mind Anyway
If you’re not checking your email first thing in the morning, you could be wasting your precious willpower in attempt to stop yourself from checking. When you think about it, that’s really the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish when you’re putting email on the back burner.
If you’re deliberately putting off email, it’s usually for the sake of getting something more productive done. If that’s not happening, or you keep catching yourself thinking about your growing inbox, then your efforts are likely in vain. For these reasons, email can become a major distractor and begin to cause you anxiety. If not checking your email is going to erode your energy, you might as well check it and process it earlier rather than later.
Email Is Mobile-Friendly
Thanks to mobile devices, email is easier to manage now than it ever was in the past. For example, if you take the train into work, you can use your commute time to get caught up on all of your important communication. When you arrive at work, you’ll be ready to tackle whatever projects you need to for the day.
Imagine arriving at your desk with no pending communication to handle. Would you feel freer to give your best to your current assignment? Alternatively, you could arrive early to work, and take the first 15 to 30 minutes to get your emails under control.
There are a variety of ways to get on top of things if you’re willing to problem-solve. The point is to structure your day so that you can always give your best. You can set up the game to make it winnable.
You Could End Up Becoming the Bottleneck
Before you know it, the workday can fly by and be over. Everyone on the team has a specific role to fill, and it can be hard for them to do their job without your cooperation. This can also mean unwelcome interruptions and disruptions throughout your workday. Co-workers may have to come by and ask questions or talk to you while you are busy working on other things.
If you are slow to respond to their requests, it can really slow down the completion of the pending projects, and it can end up reflecting badly on the entire team or department. Being the bottleneck in the operation is never fun. By giving your team members what they need to act, you can proceed with your day without unnecessary distractions.
There are all situations where checking your email sooner in the day can make your job life more manageable and predictable. It’s important take a look at your current situation and see where lack of efficiency is holding you back. Answering your email first thing in the morning might just be the answer that gets you off to a better start.
Jason Shah is the founder of Do.com, formerly of Yammer and INeedAPencil.com.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
