Common advice is to avoid reading email – it takes up too much time. They say you should put it off and check it once in the morning and then at lunch and then before you go home for the day. Yeah – right! Tech Managers are service oriented and I do not believe they have the luxury of delaying email reading, or texts, chats or IM’s or whatever method someone chooses to get a hold of them. I read emails all day long. I tend to avoid even opening the constant stream of offers and cold call emails where vendor requests for meetings. As I read email, I prioritize the level of need and address it balanced with everything else on my plate. Just because someone walked into your office or grabbed you in the hall, or drops an email in your inbox does not move their item to the top of your list. Learn to prioritize every task and also how to gently let people know that you will get to it – maybe after one or two other pressing items that take priority. Define an agreed upon date for completion and then go back to what you were focused on.
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