Time for Weekly Review - and the emails keep coming!

[cojo]

I work in a mostly electronic context. Lately it's been busy.

I'm in the middle of my weekly review (I'm behind - should have done it on Friday) and the emails are coming fast and furious - sometimes at a faster rate than it takes me to process them.

How do you deal with inputs (phone calls, emails, whatever) that come in DURING your weekly review? Do you still follow the 2 minute rule? Do you completely ignore them until after you're done with the review?

Step 1 of weekly review is to gather all your inputs, so at this pace I feel like I'll never get past Step 1.

 

[TesTeq]

Ignore! It is your thinking time!

How do you deal with inputs (phone calls, emails, whatever) that come in DURING your weekly review? Do you still follow the 2 minute rule? Do you completely ignore them until after you're done with the review?

Yes, ignore them. Disconnect the LAN cable, turn off your wireless connection, turn off your cell phone, disconnect the landline phone and shut the door. It is your thinking time :!:

 

[Todd V]

Cut Off Channels of Input You Don't Need

Prune Your System Checklist

Here is a checklist that might help. One of the more important things is to cut off channels of input to your email and physical inbox. For email, set up more filters. For your physical inbox, cut down on your subscriptions and consider telling the person who keeps spamming your physical inbox with new stuff to stop doing so.

 

[Oogiem]

How do you deal with inputs (phone calls, emails, whatever) that come in DURING your weekly review?

Let them dump to voicemail for phone calls. Turn off auto check for new e-mail during weekly review so I don't get any new ones till I turn it back on again. Might also try to schedule more processing time during the day and week so getting to in is simpler.

 

[Brent]

How do you deal with inputs (phone calls, emails, whatever) that come in DURING your weekly review?

Ignore them. If you were a football quarterback, would you take a phone call in the middle of a game? ;-)

 

[GTDWorks]

I ask my admin to hold calls and drop-ins while I do my review and I ignore income emails and calls. My BlackBerry is the worst interrupter as it rings and buzzes indicating calls and emails are dropping in while I review. As a result of this post, I'm going to turn it off for the hour and process calls and emails later.

People in our office are learning that I'm a lot happier when I gets my Weekly Review done!