Control your email: Who hasn't experienced frustration trying to organize their inbox? On an average work day, I can receive more than two hundred emails (some I am interested in--many I am not). This isn't a shocking number, in fact, it may even be the norm. In many professions you can spend your entire day reading, filing, and organizing your inbox. But trying to manage and organize an inbox leaves very little time to actually answer questions or evaluate information being sent.
Below is my best advice towards keeping on top of your inbox:
Limit checking email to three times a day: This takes tremendous discipline to master. But once you decide to look at your inbox only three times during your work day--early a.m., mid-morning, and late afternoon--you will soon discover that most can wait for a response. By focusing your time on these specific periods, you will get more accomplished and while also training the people you interact with on how they can expect to work with you.
Turn off email notifications: Gasp! What? Unless your job demands replies within minutes, checking your email can harm your overall productivity. On average, it takes 64 seconds to fully recover from being interrupted by an email, according to a study done by Loughborough University. So, locate your "Settings" or "Tools" menu, turn off your "notifications" options, and save.
Unsubscribe from junk email: How much early morning productive time have I wasted deleting repeat newsletters and junk email? It only takes a few seconds to delete, but if I added this time up over the course of a year, it might be a few hours of time that could be better spent elsewhere. Look through emails that are currently in your inbox. For any that you don't read regularly, hit the unsubscribe link.
Schedule emails to be sent later: Working mothers: get productive! The best times to send emails are before work and during lunch hours. An email sent at 6 a.m. is three times more likely to get opened than one sent at 4 p.m. This is a great tip I use to coach my salespeople on prospecting for new clients. Making difficult business connections is easier before and after work hours when other roadblocks (like clients' administrative assistants and non-decision-makers) are not yet at work.
Be slow to jump into group emails: It's amazing how group emails will work themselves out when you don't weigh in on every issue. Instead of responding throughout the process, let people on group emails attempt to work out their issues first. Then, just read the last email in the chain; you will save yourself a ton of time.
Create email folders: Consider creating email folders to store client or project-type emails. Create folders called "Follow-Up," "Interesting," or "To-Do." This is where you will file the email from your inbox that piqued your interest and you would like to review in more detail--later. When you find the time, you can simply look in the appropriate folder and read the emails worth keeping. Make sure to delete those not worth your time.
Flag urgent emails: This way they will be easy to find in your inbox. Microsoft Outlook and Gmail both have several flagging and follow-up tools to keep you on track. I am a big fan.
Move completed email out of your inbox: It sounds so simple, but once you have read the email--either file it, delete, or move it into the appropriate folder. This way Inbox is only related to what needs your attention.
Stop filing emails--just answer or delete it: Stop spending time figuring out crazy filing systems. Use your built-in email folders or delete it! Remember: if it really is that critical and you accidentally erase it, you can always dig it out of the trash folder or ask for the email to be re-sent.
Write short: How many email novels have you received? I have a policy: if it is more than two paragraphs, I hit the delete button and call the offender. When writing emails, follow this same advice. Say what you mean, be clear, but use as few words as possible. Having said all of this, do not be terse and watch your tone, which can be problematic in business emails. I have been known to send an email meant to simply get to the point but that resulted in hurting feelings. There is a fine line in email tone; just make sure you are careful while being efficient.
Avoid social media sites: I know it is tempting to look at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, but you know those sites will suck you in and you will lose precious work time you cannot get back. Unless it is for a business purpose, avoid social media and internet surfing during work hours.
Samantha Knowles is the author of Working Mom Reviews. Learn how to train your eyes, regain back your 20/20 vision and get clearer vision naturally, check out Natural Clear Vision To know how to use any DSLR camera, check out Photography Masterclass
