Just call me

An Indiana University associate dean has written a book about how to get a handle on the e-mail that deluges us all. Most of the ideas are sound — don’t feel compelled to answer right away. Install spam filters. Don’t clutter up the in-boxes with reflexive thank-yous. I’m not sure about this:

Have at least two e-mail accounts. Siegel recommends having one e-mail account for work and another for personal use. This will help reduce spam on the work account if this account is never disclosed during on-line shopping or in other instances when e-mail addresses are requested. Free accounts can be set up on some services, such as http://mail.yahoo.com, http://gmail.com and http://hotmail.com. Some people have more than two e-mail accounts, some just for friends, while others use e-mail alternatives, such as Facebook and other social networking sites.

That can just add to the time you spend having to deal with e-mail, and the more accounts you have, the more time you spend. I have my account at work and one at home for personal stuff. The trouble is that I have to check the work e-mail so often that I’m sick of the whole process by the time I get home. Sometimes I go for a week without even checking the home account, so that’s not the best place to send me something urgent.