Comments on: Addicted to Email? Dr Tom has the cure http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/ Tips and add-ons to make Apple Mail / Mail.app even better Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:03:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Matt Wright http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-29041 Matt Wright Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:18:24 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-29041 Has anyone created the hack that Miguel suggests? I could really use it right about now! Has anyone created the hack that Miguel suggests? I could really use it right about now!

]]> By: Carla http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-27176 Carla Mon, 09 Oct 2006 12:01:09 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-27176 He's right--intermittent reward (not being certain when you're going to get the reward of new email--the first button push, the fifth, the ninth) is the most powerful tool of operant conditioning, (Sorry, my psyche and counseling degrees are showing again. :D ) He’s right–intermittent reward (not being certain when you’re going to get the reward of new email–the first button push, the fifth, the ninth) is the most powerful tool of operant conditioning,

(Sorry, my psyche and counseling degrees are showing again. :D )

]]> By: Dan Warne http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26386 Dan Warne Sun, 01 Oct 2006 05:20:15 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26386 My life is much better since I got a Blackberry. Now I don't have to rush back from lunch to check my email; I can enjoy a leisurely lunch with friends. I can now sleep in on the weekends because I can check my email from bed without disturbing my partner by switching on the MacBook Pro that I keep under my bed, and if I duck out for a toilet break at work, I can read my email while at the urinal. I think perhaps Tom Stafford should get a Blackberry too, which would release him from the vice of always clicking the send-and-receive button on his mail client. My life is much better since I got a Blackberry. Now I don’t have to rush back from lunch to check my email; I can enjoy a leisurely lunch with friends. I can now sleep in on the weekends because I can check my email from bed without disturbing my partner by switching on the MacBook Pro that I keep under my bed, and if I duck out for a toilet break at work, I can read my email while at the urinal.

I think perhaps Tom Stafford should get a Blackberry too, which would release him from the vice of always clicking the send-and-receive button on his mail client.

]]> By: Tim http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26255 Tim Sat, 30 Sep 2006 09:30:35 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26255 Ahhh, how I envy you! Ahhh, how I envy you!

]]> By: John V. Keogh http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26250 John V. Keogh Sat, 30 Sep 2006 08:59:01 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26250 I start up Mail every few days, when I remember. My mobile phone is switched off. Life is better that way! I start up Mail every few days, when I remember. My mobile phone is switched off. Life is better that way!

]]> By: Jeff Flowers http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26059 Jeff Flowers Thu, 28 Sep 2006 20:24:17 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26059 Don't worry about being addicted Tim. It's not like you created a website devoted to email. ;) Don’t worry about being addicted Tim. It’s not like you created a website devoted to email. ;)

]]> By: Margaret http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26045 Margaret Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:20:50 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26045 Even though my mail is set to check once every 10 minutes, I do find myself hitting "check mail" when I'm procrastinating. The habit is hard to break (I agree with the operant conditioning argument!). What has helped me is to kill the "new mail" noise (actually, I did that a long time ago) and to routinely hide the mail window. Out of sight, out of mind. Margaret Even though my mail is set to check once every 10 minutes, I do find myself hitting “check mail” when I’m procrastinating. The habit is hard to break (I agree with the operant conditioning argument!).

What has helped me is to kill the “new mail” noise (actually, I did that a long time ago) and to routinely hide the mail window. Out of sight, out of mind.

Margaret

]]> By: Miguel Chavez http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26037 Miguel Chavez Thu, 28 Sep 2006 18:20:16 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-26037 Here's a thought... create a hack that intercepts the 'check email' button... it will let you click it, and you'll be fooled into seeing the activity window or progress bars indicate something is happening, but it won't actually check unless xx amount of minutes/hours have passed - and it increments the time the *more* you press the button. Since the button therefore is less and less 'rewarding', you slowly condition yourself to not press it as much. :) Here’s a thought… create a hack that intercepts the ‘check email’ button… it will let you click it, and you’ll be fooled into seeing the activity window or progress bars indicate something is happening, but it won’t actually check unless xx amount of minutes/hours have passed - and it increments the time the *more* you press the button. Since the button therefore is less and less ‘rewarding’, you slowly condition yourself to not press it as much. :)

]]> By: Aaron Davies http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-25998 Aaron Davies Thu, 28 Sep 2006 13:22:58 +0000 http://www.hawkwings.net/2006/09/28/addicted-to-email-dr-tom-has-the-cure/#comment-25998 Have these people not heard of automatic mail-checking? I'd think that if there's no explicit action involved, there would be no conditioning. I know there's new mail when the "new mail" sound plays and a badge appears on the Mail icon; the only time I hit "check mail" myself is when I'm troubleshooting connection issues. Have these people not heard of automatic mail-checking? I’d think that if there’s no explicit action involved, there would be no conditioning. I know there’s new mail when the “new mail” sound plays and a badge appears on the Mail icon; the only time I hit “check mail” myself is when I’m troubleshooting connection issues.

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