| There's no question that you have a great deal to | | | | community mailbox, then the minute you walk |
| read--and it's easy to become overwhelmed with | | | | into the house with your mail, go immediately to |
| the sheer quantity. Here are some ideas to help | | | | the recycle bin and drop in any mail that you don't |
| you overcome your reading overwhelm--by | | | | want or need. At your college or university, there |
| simply removing many of the items you are | | | | should be a trash can and recycling bin right by |
| potentially confronted with each day. | | | | the office mailboxes so that all employees can |
| | | | immediately go through their mail and drop |
| 1. Eliminate at least one magazine or professional | | | | unnecessary items (duplicate catalogs as well as |
| journal to which you currently subscribe or | | | | catalogs for items you are not interested in, junk |
| purchase on a weekly/monthly basis. If your | | | | mail, flyers about events that aren't pertinent, |
| weekly news magazines are in a pile, this is a clue | | | | etc.) into the wastebasket or paper recycling |
| that they are not "timely" and that you don't | | | | receptacle. Remember, only 20% of what you |
| have time to read them. As far as professional | | | | receive in your mailbox is worth opening (and |
| materials go, in this day and age, nearly all | | | | some of that is still not worth reading once you |
| journals, newsletters, association publications, etc. | | | | open it). Get rid of 80% of your mail before you |
| are available online. Should you ever need to read | | | | even consider opening it. |
| about a particular topic related to your work, you | | | | 3. For one week (or even one month!) throw |
| would be able to search the Internet and find | | | | away EVERY SINGLE catalog you receive. This |
| what you are looking for. | | | | supersedes #2 above....For one week, even if it's |
| 2. Go through your mail while standing next to the | | | | a catalog you think you MIGHT want, throw it |
| wastebasket &/or recycling bin. At home, if | | | | away. Discipline yourself. You have enough stuff |
| your mail is delivered to your door or to a nearby | | | | and you'll get this catalog again, don't worry! |