How To Do Less And Accomplish More in 2022
by Lisa Bodell for Forbes
The last two years ushered in major disruptions to the workplace, and 2022 is already looking like another rollercoaster ride around the sun. With work-life balance cited as a top concern for employees and leaders in a recent WorkPlace Intelligent study, it’s essential to keep a vigilant eye toward your time and tasks.
As a workplace simplification expert and author, I focus on removing complexity from every step of my clients’ processes and workflows. But on the eve of every new year, I set aside time to walk the walk by identifying new ways to stop the creep of complexity in my own work life. Below are five simplification intentions for 2022; if any of them align with your goals, feel free to borrow or customize accordingly.
1. Put your inbox on a diet. I’ve worked with organizations where employees receive more than 200 internal emails a day, and in those situations, I recommend extreme measures. Starting with yourself, limit sending or replying to a maximum of 30 emails per day. Once that quota is met, your inbox is closed for the day. Consider adding a line to your e-signature that informs recipients of your new approach to email: “In an attempt to accomplish measurable work, I reply to only 30 emails daily. Thank you for understanding!” When a few influencers in an org are willing to publicly change their inbox behavior, it can change hearts, minds and email habits across an entire company.