Email-free communication for better productivity

Being busy doesn't mean you're effective. --- Lots of people spend their days churning through email and attending meetings, while not actually creating any value. There are other ways to work more conducive to #productivity, but they require more work up front to set up the processes, and that's rarely something people (or companies) want to invest in. Setting up the processes that make email or instant message platforms mostly unnecessary. --- A good place to start is the world described in "A World Without Email" by Cal Newport (all of Cal's books are great places to start, honestly). One method is essentially expanded Agile methodology. Task boards with completed and current tasks, assigned to specific people responsible for executing. All current and upcoming tasks live on the board. Nick Sonnenberg dives into the tactics for this in "Come up for Air" Allow #KnowledgeWorkers to focus their time working on specific #projects instead of feeling the urge to respond to #email or IMs. Emails and meetings shouldn't be the majority of your day as a knowledge worker.

🚀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 – 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 In a world captivated by time management hacks like Inbox Zero, the Pomodoro Technique, and the Eisenhower Matrix, it’s easy to miss a crucial reality: true productivity isn’t about individuals—it’s about systems. Even with the best hacks, organizations often struggle to manage time effectively. As legendary management consultant W. Edwards Deming noted in 'Out of the Crisis: “94% of problems stem from systems, not people.” 🔑 So, how can organizations elevate productivity at the system level? Daniel Markovitz’s January 2021 HBR article (shared herewith) offers four impactful strategies: 1️⃣ Tiered Huddles: Regular, structured meetings across all levels—from frontline teams to executives—enable faster decision-making and reduce email overload. Long email chains often breed miscommunication and procrastination. 2️⃣ Visibility: Utilize physical or virtual task boards to track workflows and downtime. Transparency not only highlights bottlenecks but also ensures equitable workload distribution, fostering better team productivity. 3️⃣ Clear Communication Protocols: Establish clear channels for signaling urgency (e.g.: Batman’s Bat Signal 🦇) to minimize unnecessary interruptions and confusion. 4️⃣ Align Responsibility with Authority: Empower employees to make decisions within their roles, eliminating bottlenecks and reducing frustration. Team productivity thrives when responsibilities are balanced with decision-making authority. 💡These strategies are more than operational tweaks—they create a culture where streamlined systems drive both efficiency and employee satisfaction. Remember, productivity isn’t a solo act - it’s a symphony orchestrated by effective systems.

“hi” What if I ended this post there and waited for you to reply to deliver my message? If this was Slack, would you reply "hello" and patiently wait while watching three blinking dots as a I type? Would you ignore it? 🔻 Either way, it kills async productivity. Don't force a synchronous conversation. Instead, put everything in a single message: 🔸 Say "hi" 🔸 Provide context 🔸 Ask a question or inform 🔸 Set expectations on time frame if urgent or not urgent For example: Hi! I hope all is well with you. I noticed that you've been sending simple "hi" messages on Slack. I have been ignoring these messages. Sometimes I might add a hand wave emoji, but I won't reply. It might seem rude to ignore a "hello" because it would be if we were talking in person. In person, saying "hi" without any additional context is completely fine. However, in an asynchronous work environment like ours, it's more effective if we provide context when initiating a conversation. This allows for more focused and efficient communication. When we receive a notification on Slack without much content, it interrupts whatever we're doing. Then we either wait for the next message, or switch back to our task and get interrupted again later. Both scenarios are less than ideal for productivity. Please don't hesitate to reach out with your questions or comments — that's what I'm here for. When you do, it would be great if you include some context and indicate the urgency in the initial message. If it's not urgent, I'll set a reminder to respond when I'm able to. This approach works well for me, and I encourage you to try it too. Thanks for understanding, and I believe this will help make our interactions more productive! There's no need to reply to this message unless you want to — just something to consider for future conversations. For more on this topic, you might find this link interesting: https://nohello.net/ P.S. This goes doubly for LinkedIn DMs

"A quick call can turn into a long fall from productivity" Anyone who has ever been in the middle of a productive flow state and been interrupted by a "quick call" knows the feeling. One moment you're in the zone, cranking out work and feeling unstoppable. The next, you're on a call that could have been an email, and your momentum is completely gone. It takes time to recover from the context switch. This image captures the reality of context switching. In the expectation column, we see a straight line representing uninterrupted productivity. In the reality column, we see a sharp drop-off after the "quick call" interruption, followed by a slow and painful climb back to productivity. To minimize the cost of context switching: - Communicate expectations: Clearly outline your availability and preferences for communication. There are cases where jumping on a call is the right option and times when alternatives may be perfectly fine. This helps manage expectations and reduces unexpected interruptions. - Master the art of asynchronous communication: Opt for email or messaging for less urgent matters. This allows you to respond when it's convenient without disrupting your workflow. Especially when you can respond to an ask faster using text than alternatives, consider it. - Schedule focused work blocks: Dedicate (actually) uninterrupted time for deep work. Use tools or techniques like the Pomodoro Technique and switching off notifications to optimize these blocks. Use your best judgement for how often you need to check if you missed something important. By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce the impact of interruptions and reclaim your productivity. Illustrated by Ash Lamb who is always worth a follow #motivation #productivity #mindset