E is for EMAIL!
Dealing with Email Clutter
&
Time Management
Email creates vast quantities of clutter in most
our day in what seems like an endless stream.
Managing email accounts becomes an important part of maintaining order and
time management throughout the day.
Controlling email ensures that the agenda days agenda is set by us
rather the having email control and manage us.
Here are a few tips to help keep on top of the
email barrage.
- Stay away from the email for the first hour in your day and begin the day on your terms. Have the day’s agenda set by you, not the demands and needs of others via email. Make your action plan for hours ahead, take care of loose ends from the previous day and begin working on any projects that are in the pipeline; like writing a Blog article perhaps.
Think about how often is necessary to check the email in a day. My personal goal is to only check it twice
during the day but I also admit that it is tough for me to be so
disciplined. Setting the email program’s
auto responder to let others know that emails are checked at 10 and 2 each day
will let them know that their correspondence will have full attention at those
times.
When opening the email program, take a look at the
inbox… Is the “Inbox” full of hundreds, perhaps thousands of emails? Take a look at the delete or trash folder,
when was the last time it was emptied?
- Begin with the emails from the previous day and then move on to today's.
- Read and then act. Each email requires an action, leaving it in the inbox in not a clutter reducing option.
Reply if the email requires and then either:
- delete it,
- or file it
(BTW, the inbox is not a filing
system)
The Draft Folder in any email Email program is a
good place to store emails that require further attention or response. Items can be dragged and dropped into the
folder making them easily accessible and you know that everything in that
folder needs action. Once completed,
they can then be filed or deleted.
Keep emails short, sweet and to the point! Everyone has the same problem – to many
incoming messages so be respectful of that when sending emails.
- Use the subject line each and every time and make it count! Putting a deadline date there if applicable immediately lets the recipient know it is important and time sensitive.
- Make your opening paragraph short, clear and concise.
- Put the details in bullet format if possible – it helps people focus on the important stuff!
- Finalize the Email with a call to auction outlining the recipient’s role and the expectation. An example would be, “please send the details by 4 today so the statistics can compiled into the report for tomorrow mornings meeting.”
If after having replied to all the previous and
current day’s email by
- Acting
- Filing
- Deleting
- Or moving to the drafts folder,
If there is still have some allotted email time available
in your day planner, move to the next oldest emails and do the same, keep going
until your chosen “email time” is up.
Now take 2 more minutes and click “empty” on the
deleted folder – make a note in your planner to empty this folder every Friday
at a minimum.
Pssst… How is the “Sent” folder
looking? Don’t forget about that one.
For further information or for some simple tips visit the Adventures In Organizing website or see us on facebook
