There are some time-management solutions that claim this:
- Only answer your emails a few times a day.
- Don’t be constantly available for messaging.
- Don’t reply to phone calls at all times.
- … etc., you got the message.
Why do I consider the advice wrong?
The logic goes as follows: if you value your time on the same level as one of your partners of discussion, you should reply to messages ASAP.
If they lose time talking to you, and they are interrupted at moment X, if you reply to them 3 hours later, they’ll also be interrupted 3 hours later.
So, it makes sense – “I’ll interrupt what I do at the current moment, to help my business partner not lose time. Their time is as valuable as mine, if I postpone answering the email/message for 3 hours, then their time will be lost. I’ll sacrifice my time for the good of the overall partnership.”
