and the difference between career, executive and business coaching
It’s Sunday, 18 August 2024, 11:00 AM here in India.
In my previous corporate life, the one thing I dreaded most was opening my inbox every morning. I received at least 60 emails on a typical workday, with around 30 requiring action or a thoughtful response.
The most important emails, the ones demanding focused time and thought, would often sink to the bottom of my inbox, gathering virtual dust. They would stare balefully at me, silently begging for attention, but I never found the time to deal with them. Meetings, crises or instant chat messages quickly swallowed up any small gaps in the day.
Eventually, I would retrieve these emails when the sender sent a “gentle reminder” or “request my action.” Sometimes, the issue would be forgotten.
Slowly and steadily, the bottom half of my inbox was filled with emails I needed to respond to but hadn’t made time for.
Ironically, it frustrated me to no end when my emails ended up at the bottom of someone else’s inbox, and they couldn’t find the time to respond to me.
One day, I took a step back to analyse the types of emails I procrastinated on. I found that they fell into five categories:
- “No” Emails
Emails from vendors or other teams waiting for a response. If my answer was “no”, I would procrastinate because I did not like saying no.
- Can of Worms Emails
Some email chains were like ticking time bombs, and my response could open a can of worms, leading to conflict, disagreement or unpleasantness. These emails were emotional labour.
- More Work Emails
Some emails generated more work by their very nature. They led to more meetings, further clarifications, and additional investigations, which added to my workload.
- Review
These were emails asking for a document review, which required significant time and focus to read, analyse, and provide feedback. These emails would languish at the bottom of my work, and I would drag my feet until I was close to the deadline or received persistent reminders. I disliked having to “review” anything, so I procrastinated a lot on these kinds of emails.
Appraisal and feedback emails also fell into this category, and I would procrastinate until the last possible minute to complete them.
- Collection of Information and Documentation
In a large organisation, someone always requested that I fill out a spreadsheet or document with details, complete a survey, or document ongoing work. This was grunt work and didn’t impact my delivery or outcomes.
These emails generated significant emotional discomfort, save for the last one, which guaranteed boredom and drudgery. The payoff from answering many of these emails was not pleasant, so I procrastinated indefinitely until there was a serious consequence.
As these emails piled up in my inbox, they created “open loops” in my mind—unresolved tasks that nagged at me even after my workday was over. I would sometimes wake up in the morning with these tasks hovering in my mind like aeroplanes waiting for a clear runway to land.
Drudgery, boredom, monotony and discomfort are part of any job, even a dream job. How we handle them matters, as these open loops can become exhausting if left unchecked.
I realised I had to tackle this issue of email procrastination head-on, so I devised a simple three-step strategy that worked effectively for me.
- Block an hour first thing in the day.
- Tackle one unpleasant/tedious task.
- Say no without delays.
Sometimes, doing one unpleasant task would give me a dopamine rush, which would lead me to tackle other minor unpleasant tasks, too. I would give myself no more than an hour to do this before I got on with my day.
In my previous corporate life, the one thing I dreaded most was opening my inbox every morning. I received at least 60 emails on a typical workday, with around 30 requiring action or a thoughtful response.
The most important emails, the ones demanding focused time and thought, would often sink to the bottom of my inbox, gathering virtual dust. They would stare balefully at me, silently begging for attention, but I never found the time to deal with them. Meetings, crises or instant chat messages quickly swallowed up any small gaps in the day.
Eventually, I would retrieve these emails when the sender sent a “gentle reminder” or “request my action.” Sometimes, the issue would be forgotten.
Slowly and steadily, the bottom half of my inbox was filled with emails I needed to respond to but hadn’t made time for.
Ironically, it frustrated me to no end when my emails ended up at the bottom of someone else’s inbox, and they couldn’t find the time to respond to me.
One day, I took a step back to analyse the types of emails I procrastinated on. I found that they fell into five categories:
- “No” Emails
Emails from vendors or other teams waiting for a response. If my answer was “no”, I would procrastinate because I did not like saying no.
- Can of Worms Emails
Some email chains were like ticking time bombs, and my response could open a can of worms, leading to conflict, disagreement or unpleasantness. These emails were emotional labour.
- More Work Emails
Some emails generated more work by their very nature. They led to more meetings, further clarifications, and additional investigations, which added to my workload.
- Review
These were emails asking for a document review, which required significant time and focus to read, analyse, and provide feedback. These emails would languish at the bottom of my work, and I would drag my feet until I was close to the deadline or received persistent reminders. I disliked having to “review” anything, so I procrastinated a lot on these kinds of emails.
Appraisal and feedback emails also fell into this category, and I would procrastinate until the last possible minute to complete them.
- Collection of Information and Documentation
In a large organisation, someone always requested that I fill out a spreadsheet or document with details, complete a survey, or document ongoing work. This was grunt work and didn’t impact my delivery or outcomes.
These emails generated significant emotional discomfort, save for the last one, which guaranteed boredom and drudgery. The payoff from answering many of these emails was not pleasant, so I procrastinated indefinitely until there was a serious consequence.
As these emails piled up in my inbox, they created “open loops” in my mind—unresolved tasks that nagged at me even after my workday was over. I would sometimes wake up in the morning with these tasks hovering in my mind like aeroplanes waiting for a clear runway to land.
Drudgery, boredom, monotony and discomfort are part of any job, even a dream job. How we handle them matters, as these open loops can become exhausting if left unchecked.
I realised I had to tackle this issue of email procrastination head-on, so I devised a simple three-step strategy that worked effectively for me.
- Block an hour first thing in the day.
- Tackle one unpleasant/tedious task.
- Say no without delays.
Sometimes, doing one unpleasant task would give me a dopamine rush, which would lead me to tackle other minor unpleasant tasks, too. I would give myself no more than an hour to do this before I got on with my day.
What types of emails do you procrastinate on? What is your strategy to deal with them?
Siri, say 👋via email or LinkedIn
Difference Between Business, Career and Executive Coach
In today’s fast-paced world, coaching has become a buzzword—but do you know which type of coach you need? Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, leading a team, or building a business, the right coach can make all the difference.
My latest article breaks down the key distinctions between Career, Executive, and Business Coaching. Understanding these differences will empower you to make the best choice for your professional growth. 🚀
Read the Full Article →
From my reading list
ICYMI: What is Coaching (And What it is Not) (Being Sane)
Books: I have started listening to “Clear Thinking” by Shane Parrish on Audible. So far, I like it. It is about what stands in your way of thinking clearly. This is about how much I have gotten so far in this audio book. I will write more next week.
