I get asked a lot how I manage to get so much done.
The short answer?
I don’t let things linger.
In my last post, I shared how starting each morning by checking my calendar sets my intention for the day. That one minute grounds me in what actually matters.
The next micro habit builds on that foundation:
Deal with things as they come across your desk.
Not later. Not “when I have time.”
When they arrive.
Why This Matters
Every unopened email, unanswered text, or unopened envelope quietly takes up mental space. Even when we’re not actively thinking about it, our brain knows it’s there—and that low-grade tension adds up.
This habit isn’t about being reactive.
It’s about being decisive.
Email: Touch It Once (If Possible)
I check my email once a day, usually mid-morning. Anything that comes in after that waits until the next day—unless I’m expecting something specific.
When I open an email, I make a decision immediately:
- If it’s an invitation to a meeting or webinar
I register or reply right then and post it to my calendar. I don’t save it for later. - If it requires information I don’t yet have
I use Gmail’s Boomerang feature and schedule it to return to my inbox at a time when I know I’ll have what I need.
No mental notes.
No sticky reminders.
No inbox clutter pretending to be a to-do list.
Snail Mail: Same Rules Apply
Physical mail gets the same treatment:
- Read it.
- Toss it.
- Answer it.
If it’s a bill that requires payment, I don’t stop my workflow to pay it immediately—but I do decide what to do with it.
I pay bills twice a month: the 15th and the end of the month. Anything due goes into a designated file until that time. Once it’s filed, my mind is free from it.
The key isn’t doing everything instantly.
The key is deciding instantly.
Text Messages: The Fastest Path to Me
Text messages are actually the easiest—and often the best—way to reach me.
If I see it, I answer it.
No inbox triage. No delay.
That responsiveness isn’t accidental; it’s the byproduct of not letting communication pile up elsewhere.
The Real Secret Isn’t Speed—It’s Closure
This micro habit works because it creates closure.
Every message, email, or envelope asks one simple question:
“What am I going to do with this?”
When you answer that question immediately, you remove friction from your day and clarity replaces clutter.
It’s a small habit.
But repeated daily, it quietly multiplies your effectiveness.
Walking in purpose, thinking in synergy.
Eclectic Soup 