Unsubscribe: Opt out of Spam and People
How many different newsletters or emails do you get from e-commerce websites, shopping websites, and so on? Spam, spam, and more spam. If you use Gmail, there is a way to place all these different communications under a different tab so that they’re out of sight.
Even if you spend a few seconds looking at that stuff constantly throughout the day, just think of all the time and brain energy you’re wasting on something you don’t need to see. You might end up clicking on these links and being directed to another article or something else. In the end, it’s a distraction keeping you from doing what you need to do.
With that said, deleting these emails doesn’t guarantee that they won’t be back. You have to officially “unsubscribe.”
Here are two ways of unsubscribing:
1. Start a Monthly Routine of Cleaning out Your ‘Promotions’ Tab
Gmail calls this tab “Promotions,” Outlook calls it “Other,” and Mail at times calls it “Junk.” Spend 10 minutes running through this folder, scroll to the bottom of each email message, and click “unsubscribe” or “opt out.” By going through all of these messages at once, you can get through many of them very quickly.
Will they build up again? Yes, but you will radically cut down on the number of messages you will get in the following month. Even the time it takes to look at something and delete it is a drain on your brain!
2. Opt out
I know this one is hard. When you create a new account on a site, you generally want to race through the details because you want to get moving. There is almost always a check box near that “subscribe” button, and it’s usually checked for you by default. Uncheck it. On the other hand, sometimes the box is unchecked and you have to check it in order to opt out. Treat this as an exercise in mindfulness by practicing pausing to inspect the checkout page carefully before clicking “subscribe.” Pay attention to being in the moment, and think carefully about whether you want to receive communications in connection with whatever you are purchasing or subscribing to.
Those few seconds can save you from all kinds of marketing later, including telephone calls. Make that a habit.
Opting out or unsubscribing doesn’t have to involve just spam or promotional emails. You can actually apply this to people you are working with as well — especially to people who work in a more traditional kind of setting rather than an open office or virtual team.
If you have an office, you can opt out of communication by simply putting up a physical sign on your door saying, “Out to Lunch” or “Do Not Disturb.” It may seem old-fashioned to hang a sign on your door. However, if you give people an indication of when you’ll be available again, it can help cut down on their anxiety and increase their likelihood of respecting the message you’re sending them.
In virtual environments, the same rule applies. When you set your presence to “available,” “offline,” or “busy” on a messenger service, it is indicative of presence, availability, and status. This is something that needs to be respected. You can enforce this by not responding during those times and also ensuring that the entire team is on board with this.
If you are expecting messages from certain people on your team about a critical project or urgent matter, you can set your most important people as favorites or VIPs on your operating system.
These are some of the controlled measures that are simple in nature but can aid in increasing mindfulness and, in turn, productivity.
