Five easy ways not to waste other peoples' time
- Make sure you’ve said everything you want to say in an email. I use Gmail’s Undo Send, which gives me a whole 30 seconds to rethink what I’ve said in case I want to add anything.
- Keep a list of things you want to talk about with a person, then save them for an in-person conversation or a single email. You’ll be amazed how many of those little things you can solve yourself, or take only a second during a phone call.
- Watch a video before sending it to somebody. Read a report. Sometimes I can get in such a rhythm with sending drafts of a video that I won’t watch it. That results in a needless round of back-and-forth, or TWO emails (one promising a new version coming soon, and the other with the link.) Neither are desirable outcomes. Remember: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TIME YOU CAUSE OTHER PEOPLE TO WASTE. It’s so easy to hit that send button. Think.