As time goes on we tend to build up a list of people we “follow” via email.
Some of the people I subscribe to are mentors, some are clients and some are friends and colleagues. I follow a few to use as models for either myself or a client. Hey, don’t mimic everything we see but why reinvent the wheel if there’s a good model?
Every few months I rationalize this list, email processing takes up enough of my valuable time without letting it get out of hand. It actually takes a bit of time to click on the “unsubscribe” button and then follow through to the radio button to get off the list and I was in a hurry so I left it for later.
How important is it to rationalize this? Depends on how much time you want to save!
What drove this home is I just came back from a week frolicking up in balmy Exmouth. That’s where the fish come in. The weather was perfect one day and just great the next. Normally when I go away I quickly run through my emails on a daily if not every other day basis, so I keep a handle on it. It scares me to get too far behind.
This holiday I was determined to have a proper break though! (Although a part of the trip was work related and you’ll see a link below to check out just some of stuff I had to do as a part of my “work”).
Anyway, I was laptop free for a whole 3 days. I know, hard to imagine but I did it…
As a result when I opened up Outlook the little notification indicator down the right hand corner was flashing like I’ve never seen. Literally hundreds of emails flooded in… OMG! I was gonna be here forever.
So that was it! I was going to take the time to unsubscribe from every supposed guru’s email that I wasn’t prepared to read right there and then. That was a part of the problem, sometimes I don’t have time to actually read the content but I know the subject will be useful so I file it for later reference but there has to be a balance.
Enough was enough; the time for rationalization was now!
Back to the “work” related holiday. I had to check out my new client with his new million dollar floating hotel in the richest fishing country in the state. The Golden Trevally really made me “work”. Flick straight to the end of the video to see the ‘proud’ man.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlwZs-lturk
If you’re more of a “Save the Whale” sort of a person you’ll love this clip with the mum and calf, absolutely gorgeous.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj7tuAMNfiw
Us entrepreneurs need our time out, cause God knows these breaks are far and few between, gives us a chance to stand back and get everything back in perspective, remember what really is important in life. Catching up with my whole family was such a blast and long overdue, we’re going to make this a yearly pilgrimage now.
If you’re into a holiday with a difference, like glorious warmth and the sun, maybe snorkelling on the Ningaloo, love whales, dolphins and a whole gambit of natures creatures and like to drop a line in too where you’re guaranteed a catch every time and all with top accommodation then check out the Gulf Fishing Lodge – It’ll be one of those “Remember the Gulf Fishing Lodge Week” holiday moments in your life…
Just watching your 9 minute struggle with the fish is hard work too! But, worth the effort.
Good one Peter – and good on you for ‘getting out of the office’. For a while there I thought you were super glued to your laptop.
Mark Fregnan