How Many Times Do I Need to Ask?!

I advocate all of my clients, as I do myself, clean out their email boxes. Rid yourself and your box of those lists that you subscribed to eons ago and never read. Sure, you mean to get to them … but you never do. Stop spending precious time receiving, reading the sender and subject line, agonizing over when you’ll get to read them and moving on to the next (without deleting!). Just unsubscribe. Do it today.

All reputable lists and businesses have unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of their messages. Some may be a link to take you somewhere to unsubscribe and others may ask you reply and type “unsubscribe” in the message line. Either way, do it. If the instructions are not there, reply or ask the associated administrator (you can normally find him/her listed on their message or website) to unsubscribe you. Its not personal folks. Its time management. And, it is National Time Management Month.

I was very perturbed this week by two different entities who continue to send me mail even though I have unsubscribed – at least twice to both! One, I’ve attempted to unsubscribe no less than 4 times via their stated channels at the base of their email. And, still I get emails… month after month. Before calling upon our finest at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), I figured I’d give them one final email to request an unsubscribe (to a personal email box at the entity) noting my multiple attempts to unsubscribe. Funny thing is that I remember an email being sent by one of the members about 2 years ago (to all) screaming about how s/he has asked to unsubscribe multiple times to no avail. So, they blasted the group shaming them. I feel their pain.

As someone who mails out messages via lists (multiple ones) I take it very seriously. I try not to clog anyone’s box with someone I wouldn’t want myself. I also respect everyone’s time management and changing interests and welcome unsubscribes (although I am also sorry to see them go).

Businesses and entities don’t realize how their failed systems, or lack of care for members needs, jeopardizes them far greater than an email communication. When we ask for assistance or make a request and its not handled we lose faith in the products and services of that entity. We also get disgusted at their poor oversight and management. Do you dare think we’d entertain using them in the future… for anything?

Keep cleaning those in boxes. Unsubscribe and note who and when you unsubscribed to a list. If you get another communication, directly email someone related to that group and share your experience and second your request. If that doesn’t work check out the FCC website and file a complaint.

Save Yourself.

How many times do you ask yourself if this is worth your time? I hope often. I can’t tell you how many times each day I see people doing things that are not only wasting their time but detrimenting others too.

How many times did you drive 10+ miles to do a cost comparison on something you wanted to buy? I hope not in the last 5 years given the capabilities of the internet. Another example, we’ve all known that person who drives to another state or jurisdiction to save on taxes for a medium to large purchase. Did they add in their gas and time in the savings equation? Likely not. Final example, spending 40 employee hours on a proposal that will award you the same or less IF you win. Stop the madness.

How much is your time worth to you? Do you have an hourly figure? You should.

The same way our boss looks at cost estimates based on how much time they’ll require of you and how much s/he will gain or lose…. We should be doing the same with our own time. Ask yourself, “Is this a win or am I losing?” If losing how can you turn it into a win? Be creative and you’ll find a good solution.

Let’s look at the genius of the carpool. A band of people, women my guess, figured out that it was more productive for their time and money (gas) to establish a car pool for their kids school and extracurricular activities than for each of them to be the shuttle for their own small family. This is an example of a win for everyone.

Everyone complains about time- never having enough of it. I believe we all have enough we just don’t use it wisely. Be more like a carpool or a boss evaluating a job’s feasibility …for your life….. Stop wasting time and start enjoying it more. You really can you know.

What’s Wasting Your Time?

Imagine I told you that you could go on your “dream vacation” but you had to leave in 1 hour. Aside from wanting your bags packed appropriately, what would you spend your hour doing?

You wouldn’t believe the things you can get done in a crunch. And, each one has to be weighed by how high a priority it is. The lower ones, they fall of the face of the earth in that next hour. (Fantastic!)

When you are about to do a task I encourage you to ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I really need to do this? If yes, what purpose does it serve?
• Does it need to be done today or can it go on the schedule next week?
• How does doing this task make me look GREAT? (Hint, if it doesn’t you may not need to do it)
• Can someone else do it? Better? Cheaper?
• What have I done in the last hour for myself?
• What have I done in the last hour towards achieving my goals?

You’d be amazed at how many things can drop off your “to do” list and never have an impact! Let them go! Feel relieved and rewarded with some extra time on your hands to do important or worth-while things.

Bonus challenge: Make a list of worth-while activities and why they are worth-while. When confronting a task, check to see if it’s on your list. Ask yourself the questions above and drop it if you can. Then, do a worth-while activity to celebrate your “harnessing your time!”