A while ago, I wrote about the 9 reasons why e-mail is seductive, addictive, rewarding, and anxiety-provoking all at the same time. If you didn't get a chance to identify your top 3, it is never late to do so!
If you are still not sure whether you have an e-mail addition, here are a few symptoms to look for:
- You catch yourself pressing the refresh button repeatedly, and for no reason! Hoping to get yet another new e-mail that satisfies your addiction.
- You get out of the door and immediately get out your iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, or whatever mobile device you have, and check e-mail right away. Even though you just checked e-mail before you left your desk.
- You're driving and you stop at the intersection or light (or even worse, while driving 70 miles per hour on the highway), you reach to your mobile device and check e-mail (even though you just checked it a few seconds ago).
- Your spouse, child, friend, or even boss is talking to you, and you lift your head (which was buried in your mobile device) and look at them with this absent-minded look, as if you or they were from a different planet, and then ask them "what did you just say?" And this happens again shortly after.
- You send an e-mail to your colleague or manager or staff member, and then call and ask if they got it! You absolutely want to make sure your e-mail got there and didn’t' get hijacked along the way!
What are your e-mail addiction stories?
