10 Steps to Become an Email Ninja

Michelle Dawn Says:

January 9th, 2008, 23:11 pm

Great post, but I think The link to Tim’s book is wrong…

Leo Says:

January 10th, 2008, 0:03 am

Thanks Michelle … fixed the link now.

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

January 10th, 2008, 0:49 am

Great post, Leo. I read the book a few months ago and have since started my low-info diet too. I recall you mentioning that you only watch DVDs. Selective ignorance is the way to go!

I actually wrote a review on The 4-Hour Workweek: “What would you do if you just had a heart attack and could only work for two hours a day? What about two hours a week? After coming across this question in the book, I knew the answer was simple. It’s about eliminating everything you don’t need and filling your life with what you do. Since then, I’ve stopped watching TV (except for my favourite shows), stopped listening to annoying DJs on the radio, stopped watching the news bulletins several times a day, cut back my online subscriptions from nine to two, and cut back my print subscriptions from five to one. It may be hard to let go of all the data, but do you honestly need to check your email and other messages several times a day? Besides, if anything that important happens, you’ll know. Why not spend some time discovering the likes of Tolstoy and Twain, something I recently decided to do? I’m up for the challenge and can’t wait to get started!”

(From http://www.varsityblah.com/need-for-speed)

Dan Clements Says:

January 10th, 2008, 6:36 am

Dugg. And perfect timing, Leo. My email’s just starting to get that “too much” feel. Thanks!

deepali Says:

January 10th, 2008, 11:08 am

Want to read! But the link isn’t working…

Aku Says:

January 10th, 2008, 11:34 am

Clicking the link, I get a “Error establishing a database connection” - error, probably just like deepali.

Dan Clements Says:

January 10th, 2008, 11:39 am

Yup. Me too , but I think it’s a problem on Tim’s blog, not here.

ADD Says:

January 10th, 2008, 11:47 am

Please post another link when the article is back up, I’d love to read it…

Jason Hanley Says:

January 10th, 2008, 12:09 pm

Awesome summary Leo. I actually wrote briefly about this back in Sept 2006 — http://www.jasonhanley.com/blog/2006/09/26/email-overload/ — but didn’t touch on nearly as many points as you did. I approached it mostly from a GTD (Getting Things Done) perspective.

Email doesn’t have to be a time killer if you manage it well with those “Ninja” techniques.

Adam Cooperman Says:

January 10th, 2008, 13:35 pm

I’m very new to this blog and I have to say, I’m really enjoying it so far.
I wish it were possible for me to see this article somehow. The site the link points to seems to be down. The whole blog, not just this article.
Would it be at all possible for you to reprint your article here? Maintaining the link of course for when the site comes back up.
Or is it just me?

Sterling O. Says:

January 10th, 2008, 15:24 pm

When I listened to the 4 Hour Work Week last summer, I loved the idea of reducing my time spent on managing email, but had trouble with the concept of only replying to email once a week. The techniques listed in Leo’s article are much more realistic for me, and have motivated me to ninjatize my inbox.

Leo’s guest post on a “celebrity” blog like Ferriss’s is another indicator of ZenHabit’s tremendous growth. Very inspiring.

Wyatt S. Says:

January 10th, 2008, 18:30 pm

When I worked in the office in the past, people on the same floor would send meeting requests, email memos without taking the initiative to walk over and talk about those things which could be clearly discussed in just a few minutes, but via email ping-pongs, we could write back and forth a dozen or more times and thing are still as clear as mud.

I simply ignore these emails and always promote that face-to-face or voice-to-voice interraction wherever possible. This way I cut down a large chunk of my email, people know that i don’t respond to those unnecessary emails, if there’re something so important, they just come and talk now.

Leo Says:

January 10th, 2008, 19:13 pm

Hmm. The site seems to be up right now. You guys might try again … not sure what the problem was. Sorry for the trouble!

And thanks for the comments, guys!

Annie Says:

January 11th, 2008, 0:20 am

Great article! Dugg it ;) I already use some of those techniques - yay me! Already on my way to being an email ninja! :D

Darryl Heron Says:

January 11th, 2008, 2:39 am

Another great post Leo. I was wondering if content you author on other sites falls into your new public domain policy or do arrangements need to be made with those other sites?

Darryl Heron
http://systems-overload.blogspot.com/

Zal Says:

January 12th, 2008, 15:51 pm

Hi to all,
my first post here, although it’s on top of MyYahoo page..yap, at the very top, the very first module up there. I really enjoy it, thanks!

I decided to reply after reading Eugene’s self-discovery. Agree with you not 100%, but all 200%.
I’m 60, and i must tell you, that this is what i recently discovered too ;-)
I realized that i’m not going to change the world.
All the crap around us, like politics, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, …all these monsters who out to grab your attention for their only greedy interests.
They all do that with lies, fake stories, made up stories, “breaking news”…
Every stupid little story CNN calls “breaking news”…
99% of everything they report is murders, politics, …almost everything is negative.
Total waste of time and it affects our brains, we become like zombies. Because it’s brainwashing.
Same with radio. Why should we listen to the useless talk shows ? Again, all what it is somebody else’s opinions. Should we know other people’s opinions?
I should care less.
Music?…this is my favorite subject..I’m smiling now..
I don’t know, but I don’t see in today’s so called “music” no creativity, no talents, no music, no melody, no..no..no..no..
Why is it, that the most memorable beautiful music was created in the 50,60,70 ?
And the best music was created by Baby Boomers - it’s the Best of the Best, mid-60 to mid 70s.
This music is still alive today, used in many TV shows and movies, commercials.
Music created by PinkFloyd, Who, LedZeppelin, Monkeys, Mamas and the Papas…. hundreds of bands and hundreds of legendary unforgetable tunes.
When I walk into Walmart or any other store, the music that is played is just noise, it’s not something that causes you to relax…complete opposite - annoying, very annoying and sometimes I buy my stuuf by running, just escape from the so called “music”.
what do you think about this, children ? ;-)
If you compare say, something like “Shine on you Crazy Diamond” by PinkFloyd(have anybody ever heard it ?) with today’s “music”..? ;-)
Right, it’s not only incomparable, but nobody would ever do that. I think the “musicians” realize that they are far far from being even close to the level of pinkFloyd or any other band from 60s-70s.
So, what I’m saying is, try to listen to a music from 50-70s. It’s relaxing, a real joy and makes you happy, gives you a good mood. example is Mamas and the Papas with MondayMonday…etc.
It’s getting too long…
I’ll cut here..forget everything you do not need!
FOCUS on what you really really LIKE and need to do.
Don’t waste your time listening to this “music”. It’s like a poison, destroys all your hidden senses.
Listen to the real music, classical music, jazz, classic rock, classic pop, country.
Read books, fiction, non fiction, magazines.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
The time is sliding away, and your life too.
Make decisions fast.
if you hate cold, move down to the south. Don’t wait.
Remember, if you live in a real winter zone, like North East, you’ll be wasting almost half of your life in COLD!
That’s Right: November - March is FIVE MONTHS.
Next 20 years you’re facing to waste around 9 years in total cold. So, think again about it.
Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Texas, Louisiana… this is where people enjoy life much more. They have more time and more sunshine. Think about it.
that’s it. Thank you for listening.

Chris Says:

March 6th, 2008, 19:12 pm

I’m trying to beaome a real life ninja.