When I last wrote about time management and having too much to do, Rebecca kindly suggested setting a writing target to be completed each day. Humph I thought how simple and obvious. And it has worked a treat (thanks Rebecca). Not only does the target give an immediate focus to the day but when the target is completed the day is free to ado all those other things that need to be done. What I have also noticed is the distraction of email.

Read on. We all know that email is distracting. A research study, “Case Study: evaluating the effect of email interruptions within the workplace“ by Thomas Jackson of Loughborough University found that ‘70% of arriving emails were reacted to within 6 seconds. Once the email was addressed, it took an average employee 64 seconds to resume working at the same rate they were before the interruption’ (http://www.cruseit.com/2009/09/has-email-become-a-distraction-to-the-point-that-it-causes-a-loss-in-productivity). But even it appears the anticipation of email can be distracting. Because I am working on my computer, I am very aware (even with the sound off) every time an email comes in. And even if I don’t respond, I know its there. So I think it will be 2000 words a day and the email off, iphone hidden, land line off the hook. That said, the closer the deadline comes the harder it is to write what I should be writing … (‘deadline aversion syndrome”?) Sound familiar anyone?