Why Email Has Become Dangerous

mikkl666 writes "The Sydney Morning Herald runs an interesting story dealing with a study about email user behavior, explaining how and why email can be a terrible distraction: 'It takes an average of 64 seconds to recover your train of thought after interruption by email. So people who check their email every five minutes waste 8 1/2 hours a week figuring out what they were doing moments before.' Email is also compared to slot machines in the way it works psychologically: 'So with email, usually when I check it there is nothing interesting, but every so often there's something wonderful — an invite out or maybe some juicy gossip — and I get a reward.' There are also some hints offered on how to keep control of the inbox, for those of us already addicted."

Comments

Oh! I can't wait until they do a study like this..

[BitterOldGUy]

with regards to comment sites!

Now, WTF was I doing....

Hey

[PunkOfLinux]

I check my e-mail more often than every five minutes and I

What? What was I doing?

Re:Email is the best

[houghi]

People call me telling they are going to send a mail.

I used to check my mail two or 3 times a day, but where I work now it is a 'must' to respond immediately on every mail. Only half the work is done.

I guess the only people actually working is IT to keep the mail server up and running.