Tips on ways to manage your email.
Email is like snail mail. You’re not running to your mailbox every hour so why are you checking email all the time?
Recently, I had a client who was frustrated about managing their email. How could they get through it all? How could they manage all the messages coming at them? When asking how many were there on a daily basis, the answer was fifty or so. Okay, that’s not the worst I’ve seen. Totally doable. Here are some tips on ways you can manage your email inbox.
Work on emails when you have mid to low energy. Email management is a mid-to-low energy task; save your energy for large projects, such as revenue generating opportunities and other high value activities. You might have that slump right after lunch or at the end of the day when you’re feeling slightly tired. Let your high energy go to high impact work-the work that will move you and your company forward.
Respond to yesterdays email. Yesterbox is a technique where you respond only to email that came in the day before, essentially yesterday’s email. You can scan today’s inbox for any emergencies but let’s face it, in most industries, we don’t have emergencies and crises. If we do, we are on the phone handling them, not responding with email. Focus on the email that came in yesterday and handle each and every one.
Set aside time to work on email . Timing is everything. Stop reacting to the email streaming in your inbox. Set aside time to work on email two or three times a day. Ideally, mid-morning, afternoon and late afternoon, depending on your schedule.
Margo Crawford is a Productivity Consultant and Professional Organizer with Wave Productivity. She works with entrepreneurs, small business owners and business professionals to help them get more focused, organized and productive in their workplace. Need help managing your email? She coaches nationally by phone and in person in Phoenix, Providence and Boston. If you want to get more productive and organized in your office call 602-677-8275 or email [email protected]