People are having a bit of an overhaul now that back-to-the-office dates are pouring in. They’re easing back to in-person life by brushing up everything from etiquette to office attire. It got me thinking—while we’re at it, why don’t we refresh our outlook? Retooling your closet will take all day, but it only takes a minute to change your mind!
Here’s the problem: If you act like you’ve been suspended in time and automatically go back to what was, you’ll have the same results. And you may not want to have that experience! So, in the July series, Brush Up Your Mindset, we’ll look at four small, elegant changes you can make which will bring big dividends.
First up: Let’s talk about your inbox. You may be feeling so far underwater that you’re ready to declare bankruptcy, delete everything, and start over. That may fix the look-back problem, but in no time, you’ll be in the same place. So, wouldn’t it be nice to go at it from a different angle?
Let me tell you how I reduced my inbox after brushing up my communication mindset.
I had heard that Kristi was a no-nonsense manager, and her first staff meeting didn’t disappoint. Toward the end, she threw out an “oh, by the way,” message that ended up being a bombshell: “I don’t put stock in after-hours mails or your message volume. I value the quality of what you do and how efficiently you do it.”
“But our last manager wanted to know everything,” a colleague protested.
Kristi shook her head in understanding. “Yeah—I’ve worked for managers like that, too. But working around the clock is just a fast track to burning people out, and I don’t want that!” She smiled and closed her laptop. “From now on, change your focus from working more to working well. On this team, there’s no award for Most Mail Sent!”
In the past, did you think hitting Send quickly was the only way to work? Then brush up your mindset by using the soft skill of discernment. Being discerning may sound complicated or time-consuming, but there’s an easy explanation: You’re using the right time for the right task.
Think of it this way: How many times did you rush to hit Send, and then either had another thought or an even better way to say something 10 minutes later? So, you spent more cycles texting, piling on to the chat, or doing both for good measure. And let’s be real: By then, who’s paying attention to all that noise? Let me confirm what your gut already knows: Hardly anyone filters through every message.
Start saving time immediately by valuing every word you communicate. Switch your approach from Whoever Has the Most Messages Wins to Whoever Has the Best Communications wins. Here are three ways to start:
To be fair, some situations need the holy trinity response of email-chat-text. But when your sole focus is getting back as fast as you can, you’re missing turning point opportunities, like the chance to show your business acumen, build a relationship with an insightful reply, or create a heartfelt response.
So, decide today’s the day you change your Superpower from hitting Send over and over to quitting the Most Mail Sent club. Spend your time and energy on meaningful, fun, engaging exchanges.