The Optimal Life
Get Advanced Notice of What’s in Your Mailbox
United States Postal System Gets Real
I recently discovered something that impressed me about the United States Postal Service, USPS. Yes, there are many chronic problems even before the Trump White House did their best to make it worse. Slow delivery is still rampant, and unfortunately, something which should be as fundamental as mail delivery has turned into a political issue. Yet, I’m impressed with this new service I recently discovered.
If you’re living in the US, there is Informed Delivery® by USPS®.
Before I tell you what it does, I’ll share why it’s been a productivity enhancer for me and just pretty cool. I live in a condominium. We have a central mailbox, much like an apartment complex does. Daily, I head down to that central location to see if I have mail.
Now, years ago, I transitioned to a primarily paperless life. I get most of my bills delivered electronically, and most of my business clients pay electronically; therefore, I don’t get mail every day. Yes, I can only go to the mailbox a few times a week, but if there’s a check sitting in my mailbox, I need to know to record it and not have my client receive a late payment email notice.
The USPS now allows you to see a digital image of the mail piece’s front, including packages that will arrive in your mailbox that day. Or you’ll see no mail is scheduled for delivery. Plus, you can see delivered mail images from previous days.
It’s a straightforward process as you sign up using this link: Informed Delivery® by USPS® and then you can see if you have mail and whether it’s worth heading down to retrieve it. Or, if you’re traveling out of town, you can also see important has arrived to have your flatmate or a trusted neighbor retrieve it for you. Another neat feature is if someone steals a mail piece, a simple checkbox allows you to report it.
To write is human, to get mail, Divine!
― Susan Lendroth
I’ll admit I’m a technology geek, so I’m always willing to try anything I can log onto online. And going down to the mailbox while only a three-minute endeavor, it’s merely too disappointing to check your mailbox and have it empty. Even a junk flyer is better than nothing.
Lastly…
I’m always looking for ways to optimize my life, and while Informed Delivery® by USPS® isn’t a grand one, it’s the little things in life that add up over time to increase your overall productivity. Sign up today and check it out, as I think you’ll be impressed. Though there’s a reason it’s still called “snail mail.”
Please share if you enjoyed it, so others may as well.
The Optimal Life, It’s Not Perfect, Just Better!
