Q. I'm spending more time than I'd like to admit reading and responding to email. It's seriously A. You're not alone! Research firms estimate that more than a quarter of a person's work week is spent dealing with email. Who knows what that translates to in terms of the time it takes to refocus on the task at hand?
cutting into my work and stopping me from doing the things I need and want to do. Do you have any tips to help me handle my email a little better?
As someone who receives more email than I can count, I've had to cook up special strategies. I've boiled down all of my favorite tips into five ideas that just about anyone can use. Each one can shave serious time off of your inbox management.
Even better, put all five into place and I bet you'll feel like an email pro. You'll have more fun putting up with your inbox every day. You'll definitely notice how much time you're saving, too!
1. Send less (and better) email:
Email follows one law you've probably heard before: You get what you give. If you're sending out dozens of messages, you're going to receive that many more. If the email you send isn't clear, you'll end up sending more messages to clarify.
First, look for other ways to communicate. If a quick text, call or IM can get your message across faster, use that instead. If you're dealing with a co-worker, taking a trip to their office might be easier and more productive.
With the email you can't avoid sending out, make it clear and concise. Anticipate questions and answer them before they're asked. Try to keep it as short as possible, as well. If a list or short sentence will do, don't stretch things out into paragraphs.
If you're frequently sending the same message to multiple people, you can save time with a template. These can be customized as you go so they don't look as much like form letters.
2. Filter & Automate:
Nearly every email program or service lets you set up some form of automated message filtering. This can be as simple as setting up folders to separate important mail from the clutter. Advanced systems can color code email, label it and more.
Start by routing messages from important contacts to a folder labeled "Urgent" or something similar. Create a "Read later" folder for routine or subscription messages. You can create as many subfolders and folders as you need, so set up a system that works best for you.
Act on the email you receive, and then either archive or delete the messages. The quicker it is out of your inbox, the better. Remember, your inbox is a delivery system, not a storage system!
If you want even more advanced filtering options, use programs like Outlook or the free Thunderbird. These are a must for anyone with multiple email accounts. They add all sorts of features that simple Web mail can't touch.
3. Use temporary email:
One way to pick up a lot of email you don't need is to give out your real address online. In most cases, you just need to give it to a site so you can receive a confirmation email proving you are who you say you are. After that, it lets in a flood of email you don't really care about.
In those situations, it's better to use a temporary email account. Mailinator is a good site for this. Email addresses only last for an hour or so and then all the email is erased.
Some people create a second email address. That's the one they give out to new sites. Their main email is reserved for friends, family and reputable sites.
4. When to use BCC:
There are many ways to send email to multiple people. Usually, people simply use "To:" or "CC:" to hit multiple inboxes at once. However, "BCC:" can be a much better option. It makes sure the recipient can't see any extra addresses but their own.
This is polite and better for privacy. It stops the conversation from trailing off in different directions, too. That means you won't see a surge of conversations that don't involve you if someone accidentally hits "reply all."
BCC can backfire, though. In an office setting, using BCC on an email makes you the only target for replies. If the email is about a project with multiple people, include someone else's name to help you carry the weight of replies.
Whenever you include multiple people in an email - office or personal - make sure each knows why they're included. Don't be afraid to explain that in the body of the email.
5. Turn off notifications:
One of the biggest email annoyances is notifications. These come from Facebook, Twitter and other social sites. You get an annoying email every time someone interacts with your profile.
Usually, these notifications can wait until you're actually ready to log into the site. When you're getting dozens a day, it saps time away from things you actually need or want to do. You can turn off notifications in the settings on each site to make your inbox less stressful.
Go into your settings on each site to turn off notifications. I've got tips to do it for Facebook here. Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and the rest aren't much different. You can even keep a few types of notifications active if you think they're important.
