Managing your Email
This post will provide advice and solutions to help you manage your e-mail time effectively, with the goal of reclaiming your life from the grip of handheld devices.
Using E-mail Time Wisely
Similar to other customary jobs (such as returning telephone communications, processing physical mail, and listening to voicemails), email is ideal managed in batches during regularly assigned times of the day. We recommend allocating a stretch of time during the start of the day, preceding or following lunchtime, and at the conclusion of the day. Throughout that timeframe, concentrate on purging your inbox. In case you can’t get it done within your predetermined period, resolve whether to increase the timeline, wait until your next email session, or implement the five-minute regulation and tackle it over from 24 hours a day.
If your business requires you to be more responsive, try setting your e-mail program to download e-mail every 30 to 60 minutes, rather than every minute. This will prevent you from being distracted and help you maintain a more continuous workflow.
Taking Action!
When dealing with emails, take immediate action to keep your inbox organised. You can:
- After reading, either file or delete it.
- Respond and then store it.
- Immediately delete it and don’t take any other action.
- Send it on and file it away.
- Flag this for further investigation (suitable when you need to obtain information before responding).
Maximising E-mail Program Performance
Your e-mail program has some hidden features that can make your life easier. Most e-mail programs include tools to help you save time and manage your inbox more efficiently.
Our favorite features include:
- Similar to the folders on a hard drive, you can create custom folders.
- Establishing criteria to sort emails into folders or activate certain actions when triggered.
- Flags with different colors, and flags to remind us of follow-ups.
- Categories or keywords
- Search tools
- Junk mail filtering
- Auto-archive and e-mail cleanup
- Systems to manage tasks, calendars, and contacts in an integrated way.
Try to set aside five minutes each day to explore the features of your email program!
Regaining Time from Mobile Devices
Being productive is often hampered by interruptions. We have already discussed dealing with emails and uninvited visitors. Unsurprisingly, technology which once helped us be more productive now interrupts us at home, work and everywhere in between.
Follow these tips to use your handheld device effectively and boost your productivity.
- Minimise the number of notifications you receive.
- It is important to separate work from home life by using different devices for each.
- Keep your contact information private and only share it with essential contacts.
- When you’re sitting at your desk, put the device aside.
- Use voice mail and an automatic response message to inform people of your availability when you are away from your desk.
- When in meetings, set your device to vibrate mode or turn it off if you can.
For more information on working with your emails more effectively ask our staff about a tailored training session for your team, or a 1 on 1 Training session with one of our professional staff members.
