Setup a New Address - Friday @ 5:00

Create a non-work email. Yep, you guessed that this is written for middle-aged folks because our kids have 2, 5, or more email addresses and don't need this advice. Too many of us are using work email for some things that we really shouldn't. Some of you can't believe I'm writing this because it's so obvious to you. But, reality offers better stories than fiction – a very high level executive client of mine is literally looking for a job using his work mail. Remember that a company has the right to read, review, and act on any and every piece of email that is sent through the company system. So, this executive's activities may be uncovered before he has his next position resulting in unlimited time to look for the next position. Ow.

Additional reasons to have a universal email account are:

• Your email address will be the same no matter where you are working or who your ISP (internet service provider i.e. @comcast.net or @verizon.net) is.
• This address should be used for online purchases, e-zines and newsletters, and other public purposes.
• It's easy to walk away from a universal email address by simply ceasing to check it.
• No corporate overseer has the right to read your email or act on it (as long as you're not using a company computer to check it).

Universal email are web-based or on your own domain. A few popular options are:

Gmail

Yahoo! Mail

AOL (American OnLine)

Mail.com

Fortunately setting up a new email account at any of these providers takes less than 10 minutes – often less than 5. You simply click on 'Get A New Account' or 'Register' and follow the steps, answer the questions, write a password and you're ready to go.

If you're feeling very accomplished, set up Outlook to retrieve your email into a central mailbox. Again, if you do this on your work computer, they have the ability and right to monitor your email. Do it on your home computer. I have Outlook checking 2 Gmail & my ProductivityCafe & my OrganizersInc e-mailboxes – very convenient and all the emails are in one inbox.

Then be sure to use it and check it at least weekly. Use it for the contact email on services you use, use it for personal correspondence, use it for job hunting, and write below to share with other Productivity Café readers how you use your alternate email.

____________________________

R & R (rest & rejuvenation) are the intentions behind the Friday at 5:00 entries. Often these are inexpensive and low key because you recharging your batteries can be more easily achieved without running around and doing, doing, doing. Your productivity is rooted in your energy being high. Your energy being high is rooted in recreation!

Comments

[Audrey Thomas]

I use a separate email account for online newsletters I subscribe to. When I've got downtime such as sitting in an airport I can open that email account and take care of my reading.

[Brian Buck]

Great advice. I am always suprised when I see people using their work email for personal use.

[Paul]

Of course this doesn't apply to all organisations, but with my employer, I can only read a personal email account from home.

They block access to any non-work email accounts.