Don’t check your email

The secret handshake:   Don't check your email.  

After I posted a little missive about "not replying to emails", I realized that's really not fair to my Achievers. my to do list people. you. my friends. 

The problem is, is if you see an email in your inbox, it occupies your brain space.

So part two, I would argue implementing this is harder in a lot of ways. (Or maybe it's not harder at all, but I struggle with it)

Don't even open your email account. Or at least, not until after you're creative writing time. Or the ONE THING for the day that you want to do 

If God forbid you (like me) have emails on your tiny little hand computer (otherwise known as a smartphone), once email acct is opened, pandora's jar is released. even just the title is enough to set off alarms and to dos.

So tempting to open it first thing in the morning - like even before you shower? or before coffee? or before muttering words to another human being? 

Why is that? Because it's nice to delete things that have accumulated overnight. its a dopamine hit to "get ahead of the day".

But you are not. I alwasy think that I am, but I am just adding layers of new information to my brain.

Part of the reason it's hard not to reply to an email is because once you have seen an email, you likely take responsibility for the contents of that email and your relationship with the person who sent the email. 

If you haven't even opened your email, then you are protected from that content. Your creative brain is allowed to dance her own dance.

yes, there is a bit of dramatic tension - could there be 20 emails or 50 emails? is there one from my chair? or about that grant or manuscript? yes, there could be, but if you are in a creative business, you have to protect your most precious asset, your creativity. Email pulls you away from the present and into the past or the future. stay here, now.