EP 32: WAIT, Why Am I Talking? (Radical Ways To Manage Communication in a Digital World)

Most of us would agree that email is not always an effective way to communicate. Of the 300 billion emails that go out every day, a staggering 55% is spam. Even the emails that we opt into are usually inconsequential and only serve to distract us. And yet this mode of communication continues to dominate our working lives, with the average office worker receiving roughly 120 emails a day and researchers estimating that a full 28% of our working hours are spent on email alone. But what if we could challenge this outdated mode of communication? In today’s episode, we discuss the rise of email, how the age of information overload is affecting us, and how we can radically rethink communication in the workplace. We delve into harmful email practices, how to be intentional about the emails you send, and the importance of building a sense of connection in the workplace. For a new perspective on email and radical ways to manage communication in the digital age, make sure you tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An overview of the current state of email communication. 
• How communication in the workplace has changed since the 1950s.
• Examples of how we are living in an age of information overload.
• How information overload is affecting our cognition.
• The important role that data visualization plays in managing information.
• The proliferation of emails in the workplace. 
• How email steals your time and distracts workers.
• Why email harms momentum and dulls your thinking.
• How we can rethink communication in the workplace.
• Advice on how to manage email in the workplace.
• How to be intentional about emails.
• Radical new ways to manage communication in the office.
• Why having friendships in the workplace is beneficial.
• How to discern which email practices are productive and which are destructive.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Cynthia Howard on LinkedIn

Work Smart Consulting

Work Smart Club Network