Decluttering Digital Life

Ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of emails or Slack notifications at work? Yep, we have too. But how do you get the info you need without sacrificing a good rapport with your team, or feeling like you’re missing out on essential things you need to know? And how do you go on vacation without coming back to a quadruple-digit inbox that makes your good vibes instantly vanish? Emily’s bringing back our Decluttering Digital Life series to help you tackle how to communicate effectively with your team (without losing your sanity in the process!). She talks about the project management tool that’s revolutionized Team Simplified’s lives at work, how to tackle email threads that just *won’t die,* and how to get your work done and still stay on top of your emails (without feeling overwhelmed or guilty in the process).

Thanks to our episode sponsors!

BETTERHELP | Get 10% off your first month at https://betterhelp.com/simplified

ROCKET MONEY | Cancel unnecessary subscriptions and save big with Rocket Money! https://rocketmoney.com/simplified

VEGAMOUR | Save 20% on your first order with code simplified at https://vegamour.com/simplified

6 Ways to Conquer Your Work Email Woes

Do you and your team use your email to hash our projects?
Maybe a project management system will help you send fewer emails.
Do you have an email thread that’s blowing up with no end in sight?
Maybe it’s time to pick up the phone or schedule a meeting.
Are you having trouble getting your work done because you’re busy fielding emails?
Try to check your email in “batches” instead.
Did you go on vacation?
It’s time to Email Triage.
Do you need to work through some emails during off-peak hours, but you don’t want to bug your colleagues?
Try scheduling your emails.
You don’t have to get to Inbox Zero.
It’s okay—not everything needs an urgent response.

Thought-Provoking Quotes

“Figuring out how to collaborate with the people we work with is one of the most important parts of our jobs. And doing it in a way that really works for you, that helps you do your best work? That’s even better..” – Emily Ley

“At the end of the work day, when I take out my planner for one last check of my To-Do list, I usually have a couple things left on there. I have a couple emails I haven’t responded to in my inbox—sometimes more than a couple. And that’s okay. That is so okay and normal.” – Emily Ley

“In a world that is constantly communicating, that has an insatiable appetite for more, more, more—we have to draw boundaries around the time we spend on work communication. Because let’s face it: we could work ourselves into the ground, until we literally have no more to give. Our jobs will take everything we give them, and still demand more of us.” – Emily Ley

“I know it feels uncomfortable to see an unread email in your inbox. But honestly? Most of the time, an email isn’t urgent. And the person on the other side of that email? For the most part, they’ll understand that you are human too, and sometimes your work (or life) don’t permit an immediate response.” – Emily Ley

A Blessing for Your Week

As you strive to do you best work, may you give yourself the permission to do it in a way that works best for you.

May you collaborate with your teammates, clients and vendors in a way that honors who you are and the values you stand for.

And above all, may you remember that on the other side of the screen, there’s a human just like you, trying to do her best in the day and tools she’s been given.

Simplicity Tip of the Week

Do you have a ton of email subscriptions clogging your inbox that you wish would just go away? Listen to me: you need to go check out Unroll.me!

They are not a sponsor—I just love this software that much.

With Unroll.me, all you have to do is plug in your email, and it’ll detect all the email subscriptions you’ve ever signed up for. Then you can decide if you want that email to stay in your inbox, if it gets rolled up into a sort of “newsletter” you receive periodically so you can still see those emails, just not with the drip drip drip of them landing in your inbox. OR you can unsubscribe forever. All it takes is just a few clicks.

It’s so easy. It’s so automated. It’s so little but so life-giving. You’re welcome!

Pre-Order Emily’s New Book!

Sure as the Sunrise: 100 Morning Meditations on God’s Mercy and Delight

Resources, Links, Mentions from This Episode