TheFuturein5 Episode 27: Do You Need a Break From Email?

We all need an email break. We check email when we wake up in the morning, 50 times during the day and again at night. We check email all of the time. In this episode of the Future in 5 I talk about some of the reasons why we have become addicted to email, and share some of the tips and techniques I use to avoid relying so heavily on email. I believe we live in a world right now where technology controls us. But, we have to remember technology is created to make our lives easier. We do not exist to use technology. I struggle with this issue as well. As someone who runs his own business, it is important for me to be able to respond to communication quickly, so sometimes it's very hard for me to not check email. However, I've noticed that when I purposely don't check email or for whatever reason, something interesting happens... the world is still there. And, as corny as it may seem, it feels like more opportunities come my way -- as they say, "a watched pot never boils." We need to acknowledge that it is "OK" to respond to email in three-, four-, or five hours. I think we'll all be pleasantly surprised that we will be more productive, more engaged, more energized... and the world will not end. Join me as I experiment to find ways to break the email addiction. So listen in and don't forget to share your tips and strategies!

Jacob Morgan is a futurist, best-selling author and keynote speaker, learn more by visiting The Future Organization.com or check out his latest book,"The Future of Work: Attract New Talent, Build Better Leaders and Create a Competitive Organization," on Amazon.