12 Steps to Overcoming E-Mail Addiction

I saw on ABC World News with Charles Gibson the newest 12 step program to break the email addiction, designed by a lifecoach in Chicago. Quite funny, but I must admit I'm an addict.

You can sign up for the twelve steps and receive them one a day for twelve days -- via email. :-)

Marsha Egan, an email productivity expert and CEO of Egan Email Solutions, has these tips, courtesy of Reuters:

1. Admit that e-mail is managing you. Let go of your need to check e-mail every ten minutes.
2. Commit to keeping your inbox empty.
3. Create files where you can put inbox material that needs to be acted on.
4. Make broad headings for your filing system so that you have to spend less time looking for filed material.
5. Deal immediately with any e-mail that can be handled in two minutes or less; create a file for mails that take longer.
6. Set a target date to empty your in box. Don't spend more than an hour at a time doing it.
7. Turn off automatic send/receive.
8. Establish regular times to review your e-mail.
9. Involve others in conquering your addiction.
10. Reduce the amount of e-mail you receive.
11. Save time by using only one subject per e-mail; delete extra comments from forwarded e-mail, and make the subject line detailed.
12. Celebrate taking a new approach to e-mail