Managing Email Madness – Part One
First off, we’d like to thank all of you who responded to our query regarding workplace stress. In response to your comments, we’d like to help you manage one of your top stresses: email overload. Although most of us have been using email for a number of years, many of us still struggle with managing it effectively, making email overload one of the top workplace stresses. Daily, our inboxes are flooded with a mix of relevant and often not-so-relevant messages, and the task of reading and responding to them can be daunting. Stever Robbins, author of 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More and host of the popular Get-It-Done-Guy podcast, has come up with some strategies for not only managing your own load, but also, some tips on how to become better email senders yourselves. In part one of this two part blog, we’re going to provide you with some techniques for sending email more effectively. Be sure to check back next Thursday for part two, tips to manage your own mountain of mail.
Summarize Your Subject
Often we describe the email we are sending in the subject line, when really, the subject line should summarize what the email is about so that the reader is able to quickly scan their inbox to recognize which messages are relevant and why.
BAD SUBJECT-Deadline Discussion
GOOD SUBJECT– Recommend we ship product April 25th
Copy Carefully
When you copy others into an email, make sure you pointedly reference why this email is relevant and important to everyone you are sending it to and what each person should be taking away from the information provided.
BAD CC:
To: Abby Gail, Bill Fold, Cindy Rella
Subject: Web site design draft is done
The Web site draft is done. Check it out in the attached file. The design firm will need our responses by the end of the week.
GOOD CC:
To: Abby Gail, Bill Fold, Cindy Rella
Subject: Web site design draft is done
AG: DECISION NEEDED. Get marketing to approve the draft
BF: PLEASE VERIFY. Does the slogan capture our branding?
CR: FYI, if we need a redesign, your project will slip.
The Web site draft is done. Check it out in the attached file. The design firm will need our responses by the end of the week.
