How I Handle Spam

I recall an email blast which described a fascinating study on how people handled deleting, responding, and keeping up with their inbox. They didn’t link or show the entire study, but the notion that there could be patterns describing certain cohort groups got me to thinking how I clear my email inbox. I realized in how I cleared emails was opposite from the way others went through their inbox.

Although the survey results weren’t posted–and, as a Gemini, this is my biggest pet peeve–omitting information–I was so taken by the approach to study human behavior with regards to this sometimes overwhelming online facet of our modern lives–I feasted on pondering about how my actions (or reactions) to email–reflected my personality or time management at my desktop computer.

The notion that many people would slog through the email queue one-at-a-time and make an immediate decision to spam, delete, or read through the email–and answer it then and there–to get the item off of the ‘checklist’–caught my attention about my dread of the email inbox, and heaven forbid, the compose button.

Today is not typical. I am going through every email one-at-a-time and dealing with it now. This brings up the email blast’s closing arguments, if you will, of the key behind emails: Set aside blocks of time on a somewhat regular basis during the week, such that a balance of timeliness is established.

I now follow a general pattern of breaking my week into three cycles: Office-hours, a term I learned in the Marines Corps, exercise (PT), and entertainment (RnR). Monday is heavy on office hours, Friday is more entertainment. Hump day would be the most likely exercise day–at least for the majority of time that day.

Mind, body and spirit. Mind as in the office; Body exercise as in gym time; Spirit rest and relaxation such as going to parks or being in nature, or watching a movie and binging on Netflix. This how I came to write the response to this writing prompt: Monday mornings are for online meetings and emails. And it’s why I’m pushing out this bratty essay from Word Press. I’m retired and I have the true riches–time.

Later in the day will be the bike ride or the lap swim, followed by a yoga session or meditation. Later in the week will be less computer time and more outside time. Oh and did I mention a food plan and when I eat? Hey, look that’s all for now. I got to keep it short and sweet: Hmmm. TV time is going to be shorter now:

Thanks to Ace Ventura, I’ll be watching less Netflix for awhile. Hey maybe it’s a God thing.

As for how I handle spam on a typical day–I go through and delete all meaningless dribble as spam first. Then delete all the new emails that are from a site I like and will visit soon–and then finally see how many true emails are left to compose, search, or follow.