three problems with email

Three Problems With Email… And One Great Solution

Last week we shared a great article by Rosscott called “The Problem With Email”. Besides some great visuals—including the wonderfully named “The Cycle of (Time) Suck”—the article offers some fantastic insights into several different but related problems with email. Problem #1: Mission Creep “Now, e-mail is considered instantaneous[…] [A]s more and more devices allow us to keep an eye on things, people have begun to think of mail as more of a tool of instant message than that of a thoughtful missive.” “Mission creep” is a term taken from the military, describing the slow and unintended deviation from a mission’s early… Continue reading Three Problems With Email… And One Great Solution

will arnett timyo is a real game changer

Will Arnett: Timyo is a “Real Game Changer” [Interview]

Timyo is very excited to have Will Arnett as a key part of our team. Besides being one of the funniest guys we can think of, his intelligence and generosity have been crucial to making Timyo into everything we want it to be. I recently got a chance to chat with Will about Timyo and an exclusive Timyo video that will soon be coming your way. C: Will, thanks so much for taking the time away from your busy schedule to talk about your involvement with Timyo. You’re out promoting the new season of Bojack Horseman, right? W: I am, we did… Continue reading Will Arnett: Timyo is a “Real Game Changer” [Interview]

Respect find out what it means to email

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find Out What It Means To Email

Yesterday, we shared a great article by L.V. Anderson about typos in email and what they say about power dynamics in the office. The gist is this: At best, informal, typo-ridden messages sent from the top of a professional hierarchy to the bottom reflect the fact that bosses aren’t particularly concerned about coming across as sloppy to their subordinates. At worst, they’re a deliberate power move—a signal to junior staffers that they aren’t worth the time it would take to correct the mistakes in an email before hitting send. The whole article is worth a read, but here I want… Continue reading R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find Out What It Means To Email

Why Timyo Is the Ultimate (Guilt-Free) Inbox Zero Killer

Why Timyo Is the Ultimate (Guilt-Free) Inbox Zero Killer

Yesterday, we shared a great article by Sara Stewart called “Inbox Zero is BS”. If you’ve been with us for awhile, you’ll know that, at Timyo, we couldn’t agree more. Ms. Stewart argues persuasively against the pointless, productivity-sucking waste of time that is the pursuit of Inbox Zero. As per a researcher quoted in her article: “When someone drops everything just to get an unread count back to zero, productivity might be taking a hit.” And, as the author herself points out: “Having an empty inbox has zero effect on your salary. You’re not getting paid to erase emails all day…”… Continue reading Why Timyo Is the Ultimate (Guilt-Free) Inbox Zero Killer

the science of priming behind productive email with timyo

Priming for Success: How Timyo Sets The Tone for Productive Email

We’ve talked a lot about how Timyo helps you use email to be more productive, but one of the subtler effects of Timyo is also one of my favorites, and it all comes down to the psychological effect known as “priming”. What is priming? Priming is a psychological effect that basically boils down to preparing someone to give a certain response or type of response by influencing them before that response is given. A famous example is a study that showed that people were more likely to behave “warmly” (that is, positively, welcomingly or sympathetically) if they were asked to briefly… Continue reading Priming for Success: How Timyo Sets The Tone for Productive Email

A Simple Solution for Sophisticated Email

A Simple Solution for Sophisticated Email

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” —Leonardo da Vinci* It’s no secret that Steve Jobs was a big fan of simplicity. In fact he used the above quote (or misquote, see footnote) to introduce the Apple II, way back in 1978: That focus on simplicity has been an essential component of everything Apple has done in the past 40 years, and surely one of the most important factors contributing to their unprecedented success. From Timyo’s inception, we have sought to emulate that relentless focus on simplicity. Not only in terms of design, but also in the very essence of the product… Continue reading A Simple Solution for Sophisticated Email

the email status quo

The Email Status Quo is So Inappropriate

A Thought Experiment Indulge me, if you will, in a thought experiment that will (I promise) lead to an insight into exactly what is wrong with the email status quo. For the purposes of this thought experiment, please assume that you have a) a home, b) a kitchen, c) some dirty dishes, d) a husband or wife, and e) some out-of-town friends named the Petersons, who are f) really just a lovely couple. Supposition f) is not strictly essential for the success of this thought experiment, but you might as well treat yourself. Now, imagine you are at home in the kitchen doing dishes and your… Continue reading The Email Status Quo is So Inappropriate

Timyo and the Life-Saving Importance of Built-In Expectations in Email

It’s no secret that at Timyo, we believe that sending email with built-in expectations should be the norm, and we are working hard to achieve that goal. Today, I wanted to look at one of the subtle advantages that becomes the norm when your workplace sends email with clear expectations. Before Timyo, there was no good way to communicate expectations in email quickly, clearly, and easily. The best you could do was to write detailed expectations into the body of the email, regarding when you wanted a response and what kind of action you wanted taken, but that is pretty… Continue reading Timyo and the Life-Saving Importance of Built-In Expectations in Email

manage your team like a boss

Like a Boss: How Timyo Helps You Manage Your Team

Last week, we talked about how Timyo can improve email between colleagues. Today, we’ll look at what Timyo can do for those of us in leadership positions.* Out of Sync is A-OK! When managing a team, it is natural to want everyone to be on the same page. We learn from a young age that teams work best when everyone is moving at the same time and in the same direction. But it’s different when you are the team’s captain—the people working under you will naturally be focusing on smaller, constituent efforts. It’s your job to see the big picture.… Continue reading Like a Boss: How Timyo Helps You Manage Your Team

the false utopia of inbox zero

The False Utopia of Inbox Zero

When I first started getting acquainted with the world of articles, discussions, and think pieces about email, I was immediately struck by two things: 1. Wow! There is a world of articles, discussions, and think pieces about email. 2. Some people are really obsessed with reaching “Inbox Zero.” The first one should not have been that surprising—after all, email is a tool that literally billions of us use, often many times a day. It makes sense that there are a lot of people out there who care about it deeply. But the second one still surprises me. Why would I… Continue reading The False Utopia of Inbox Zero