It is getting difficult to remember where I connected with you!
It used to be I would look through a stack of business cards and wonder which ones to keep, and which ones to toss, and which ones to reconnect with. When card scanners came along, then they all went to my digital files. A digital delete is perhaps easier to handle, but it is often easier to forget it forever while still holding onto the record.
Regardless of what I do, and how I handle it, this is my problem. Not yours!
In my social world, (personal – business – church – others) there are too many pieces to keep up with individually, so I learn how to trim when it seems I’m overwhelmed. You know… Those social media contacts that do not make sense; with businesses that promote their product and seminars incessantly and those newsletters that made sense at one time but have become the problem by forcing me to lose my focus.
So, every few months, I take an hour or so and review my contacts, connections, newsletters and various “junk” messages that are flooding my inbox and news feed. In fact, I got this suggestion from one newsletter who noted I had not clicked on anything they sent me during the past month or so and were being polite in canceling my subscription so as to not be considered abusive to those who are not taking advantage of their material. That’s my kind of business!
Here’s how I handle it.
- Those news apps that want to send me headlines and alerts no matter how many times I have to say no… Canceled.
- Those wonderful blogs that send me 2-3 messages per day… Unsubscribed. (That includes my blog as well!)
- That class I signed up for that made so much sense in the heat of the moment… Withdrawn.
If I do not touch it within a 2-week span, or if it’s abusively hogging my news feed, then it’s a victim to my world and slide off into File 13 (WWII slang to indicate the trash can). If it has potential future interest then Bookmark the website, keep the login, and stop the notifications and move on! Really. These are daily distractions that show up in your news feed and inbox. Keep it under control!
We hear it from Ben Franklin “…penny saved = penny earned…” or “…mind the penny and the dollars take care of themselves…” concept. Care for those seconds and pennies, and you will store up valuable time and money for the future.
Manage those inconsequential things before they become cumbersome. You will gain greater focus and time to deal with important things. Now and tomorrow! Click To TweetSolomon said a wise thing and I love how The Message translates it.
Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. (Proverbs 4:25 MSG)
There is a prize ahead, and Paul tells us to run to receive it (1 Corinthians 9:24), and press to achieve it. (Philippians 3:14). It was also Solomon who said it was the “little foxes” that will spoil the vine, so control the fox! (Song of Solomon 2:15) Take charge of these little things and the big things will manage themselves! Remove those distractions while they are few…
Reign in those Distractions
It’s not an easy task to say “no” to something that might be exactly what you are looking for. Give it a few seconds of your time and then move on! “Just Say No” Take Control!
Resist the temptation! If you cannot find the same information in a general search then you are stepping into the quagmire where you are led down the primrose path, caught in their web. Sort of a carrot before your path to keep you following them!.
Webinars are popular and I do find them valuable for information, but every webinar is attempting you to sell you something. It sounds tempting! They can easily entice you to sign-up. Unless you are strong, they can drag you into a purchase, even kicking, screaming and dragging your heels.
Use a “Junk Email” Address for the potential research! This is an email address that is not used for anything else but to investigate your interest. Do not use your main contact information! Create a shadow of yourself to focus on trying something out before you decide it’s worthy of your full attention. If it’s profitable then I can always change my email address and bring it into the fold of my regular world. This protects my main email address from the potential inundation of “junk mail” and then only check the “junk email” address once or twice per day.
Think it through… Will this new connection profit me, or be a waste of time and attention. Even when you check the box that says you do not want to receive any marketing email, you will still need to manage how many times they plug your funnel. Maybe a lesson learned is to be watchful over those new connections as you search for things across the various media outlets. That shopping site really wants to flood you with emails, messages, surveys and product reviews. This shows they are successful.
Choose wisely… When you do find something to invest your time and attention into, then start with a “junk email” address until it proves worthy of your attention.
Be brutal about your actions. See if it doesn’t solve your problem of wasteful time and distractions. Let me know…