12 days ago, I shared Robert Peake's secret to success with e-mail. What we both thought was a humorous IM chat (posted here) is now spreading around the blogosphere, thanks in part to getting Scobleized.
Since then, the number of people blogging about why (or why not) deleting emails that take longer than 2 minutes to process is a good idea continues to grow by the hour.
It looks like I touched a raw nerve here.
As Robert Scoble wrote in his Scobelizer comment thread:
...you do realize it’s only a joke, right?
It’s what we all WISH we could do, but can’t.
Despite the fact that Robert and I and other have pointed out that this was a tongue-in-cheek post in the comment threads, many bloggers have not taken the time to read the comments and are blogging away with their thoughts and ideas on the merits or demerits of deleting any email that will take longer than 2 minutes to handle.
For the record, I am NOT advocating that anyone summarily delete emails that they think take longer than 2 minutes to process.
Here's some of what others have writen about the proposed rule for Getting Things Deleted:
Data Mining blogged "Down with the Two Minute Rule," pointing out that "...something that doesn't require attention to interact with is worthless:"
I'd rather spend my time engaged with concerns that require real thought! Remember, if you get a reply from Robert Scoble it means he hasn't spent any time thinking about the answer.
I agree, in part, but I think that approach is too broad. Toby Getsch says that this is a bad rule that only treats symptoms.
Naik's News follows Robert Scoble's post, but says that the problem with deleting email is that it generates more email.
Phil Gerbyshak found the comments more interesting than the two-minute rule.
Rex Dixon, shares his rules for processing email and Paul O'Flaherty, proposes a new rule:
“If an email takes more than two minutes to respond to, I’ll call you.”
On a more productive note, the same week I posted the new two-minute rule, I also wrote about a practical -- and, judging by the comments, less memorable -- solution to help make e-mail processing more efficient.
So, did it take you more than two-minutes to read this blog post? Or, did you delete it?
Discussion/Comments (2):
Wow! Thank goodness I didn't say "delete" that puppy! :) I love gmail, as I archive everything when I'm done. My inbox is usually clear, unless I am working on a followup to the e-mail.
Rex
Posted at 11/28/2006 12:50:51 by Rex Dixon
I said it before and I'll say it again:
oh dear.
Posted at 11/28/2006 15:02:00 by Robert
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