Impulse

I had no idea how addicted I was to email until I tried to quit. I was happy in my eLife until I ran across two articles in as many days about how people let email run their lives. The NPR program was amusing, and the 43 Folders post was prudent as always. All very interesting, but these folks weren't describing me. Oh no, I wasn't an email junkie. Boy was I wrong.

I decided to give email abstinence a try. I went beyond the 43 folders recommendation of simply turning off auto-check: I closed my email app. That's right, exited the program. My screen was empty; my computer quiet. I had never really seen my desktop before (I chose that color??). That's when I had my first realization: email is just an application - just a program like photoshop, word, and solitaire. I can start it and stop it whenever I want.
That thought hadn't occurred to me in decades. With every other app, I'd start it, use it, and quit. Not so with mail. Even back in college I'd steal an adjacent, unused vt320 to leave mail running. The thought that I could close mail and then focus only on the task at hand was brilliant. Profound. Empowering, even. So, I resolved to use my email app (outlook express, nowadays) only when I'm "doing email."
That's when the cravings started: Like a former smoker unconsciously fumbling for a cigarette then being surprised by it's absence, I found myself constantly trying to check mail. Whenever my brain was idle, I'd alt-tab over to mail - but it wasn't there. Whenever I'd finish something in my house, I'd wander over to check my mail - but it wasn't there. I realized that it had become my habit to fill my idle time with email; checking in the hopes that something magically diverting would have arrived, or something incredibly urgent to attend to, or simply checking to see what I needed to do next, my inbox having become my to-do list. I needed to check constantly - who knew what I might have missed in the last 3 minutes since my previous check???
The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Without detection nor intention, I, the Commander of my own Destiny, had slipped into letting my life be ruled by email: I took its advice on choosing my tasks. I relied on it for contact with other humans. I allowed it to fill all my free time. I found comfort in its presence.
So, I invite you to join me in this experiment and try the following (in addition to the good recommendations on 43 Folders):

• Run email only to "do email". Hit the close button. Right now. You can do it. You've taken your first step into a larger world.
• Use all them "send message" buttons in other apps. Related to the above, if you're surfing and want to tell someone about something you found, don't run your email app, use your browsers Send Message button. Just about every app has one now. This will save you from the temptations of your inbox.
• Keep your to do list outside of mail. There are lots of programs out there for this sort of thing. Me, I keep things simple: notepad, for windows; vi for unix.
• Become an IM lurker: IMs are even more distracting than a new mail bong because someone you care about is waiting for you at the other end. Most IM apps have a "be online but appear off" setting. Use this whenever you're working and go online for real only when you're in a social, distractible mode - like when you're "doing email". Yeah, it's not k001, but neither is bugging me when I'm writing the grand finale to a story.
• Let the answering machine get it. Same verse, older song.

I'd love to hear how it goes for you (or any other opinions for that matter). Good luck, and may the force be with you.