Let me ask you a question. How often do you check your email?

If you’re like most people, you’ll probably say “every day.” Honestly, I can’t imagine going a day *without* checking my email. But upon further reflection, I… honestly think I check my email *TOO* much. I’ve been trying to take stock of my little habits, and lately, that’s the one I’ve noticed.

Wake up, get ready for work, check my email. Then maybe an hour later, check my email again. It can literally be ten minutes later and there I am, logging into Google again. And again. And again.

Does anyone else do that?

Okay, I don’t think I’m really obsessed. I think it’s just become a habit in this tech-crazy world, where we all feel inclined, or maybe even required, to be connected at all times. The phones in our pockets/purses ensure that we’re always dialed in, and make it a hell of a lot easier to keep checking – even if we’re not necessarily expecting any specific correspondence to fly our way.

It’s easier said than done, but I’m trying to break this little habit of mine. There’s absolutely no reason why I need to check my email so often, other than the fact that I’ve become tuned into this routine of always checking it. It’s not like I’m getting crucial emails that need to be answered the minute I receive them. More often than not, the emails I’m getting aren’t that important, and half of them turn out to be coupons or deals from companies. In other words, they’re things that can wait.

So I’m trying. My new schedule might look something like this: check my email sometime in the morning. Then maybe check it in the afternoon or towards the evening. And that’s it.In addition, I’m not letting messages sit in my inbox, for the most part. I spend maybe 10 minutes looking through all the messages that are

In addition, I’m not letting messages sit in my inbox, for the most part. I spend maybe 10 minutes looking through all the messages that are new, and deciding their fate. Junk? Delete. An offer from a store I don’t have money to shop at? Bye. A bill I have to pay? Okay, that one stays in my inbox – until it’s paid, and then it’s either deleted or filed away into my ‘bills’ folder. Correspondence from a family member or friend? That I’ll respond to.

It’s easy to feel pressure to always be connected, but there are ways to manage that! Start with your inbox. Clean it out, clear it up and detach.