Doing special things in our complex modern world requires plenty of interaction with others. Such collaborative efforts will take plenty of time out of your life and can be quite stressful. 

Building an environment where collaboration automatically happens as cleanly and efficiently as possible is therefore a great investment.

Let’s set this up. 

Email

First thing: turn off email notifications on you computer and your phone.  

You should only check email when between tasks. That little banner popping up in the corner of your screen distracting you from the task you were doing is costing you and your company dear. 

Emails are not supposed to be answered immediately. If someone needs your immediate attention, they should call or message you. 

Second, completely clean your inbox at least once per week. 

Have well organized archiving folders to which you can move any important emails from your inbox in your weekly cleaning session. Make sure you have answered all important emails and delete the rest. 

Third, don’t overuse email. 

When communicating about anything that will require lots of back and forth, call the other person. Then send a summary of the key insights from your call by email afterwards. 

In general, try your best not to contribute to your own or others’ email overload. 

Calendar

Your calendar is a powerful tool for keeping your collaborations productive and avoiding unnecessary distraction. 

If you have a busy-looking calendar, an important first step is to book regular blocks of focused time. 

Make sure these blocks show that you are busy to discourage people from booking meetings during those times. Of course, this should be done within reason to ensure you remain open to important meetings.  

Make sure you plan your most demanding tasks for your focused time sessions.

Simpler tasks where interruptions are less costly should be done during times when your door is open. 

Reminders

Reminders represent one of the few cases when your phone should call for your attention. 

Make sure you set reminders for all important commitments well in advance of the time you need to be there. 

Never miss an appointment and never be late. Reliability is a critical trait in the professional world. Smart use of your calendar can ensure that this trait becomes yours.