I can spend hours composing careful e-mails, and minutes deciding whether to archive an e-mail or leave it in my inbox. If e-mail takes up too much of your time, try these tricks for keeping it under control:

• Decide how often you’ll check your e-mail, and stick to it. If necessary, shut down your e-mail application so it doesn’t alert you when new e-mail arrives.
• Use e-mail as a transitional activity between meetings or other tasks. That way, you can’t spend too much time on any one e-mail task.
• Plan your schedule so you check your e-mail while having coffee, or just before lunch, when you’re hungry. This trick helps me stay alert, eager to finish, and decisive.

For more tips on managing e-mail, check out Chapter 3 in E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide.