Success Tips

Get a Grip on Email

by Abby Marks Beale

Do you genuinely like doing email? If you do, then you don’t need to read this. But if you really dislike (okay, despise) doing email, then read on. Over the past few years, I have seen a ground- swell of busy professionals who are increasingly challenged and frustrated by the sheer amount of email that comes in and the poor quality of the incoming messages. Learning to manage it can be a lonely battle.

Let’s look at a few things that might be frustrating you and what you might do about it:

1. Are you the slave or the master of your email? Slaves are obsessive-compulsive about checking their email every few minutes (or seconds) at work AND at home and are constantly afraid they might miss something important. Masters are confident their email will be there when they are ready to check it, not when it dings. They also let others know how to reach them when something is truly important (hint: it’s NOT via email!) so they aren’t slaves to their inbox. Become a master and you will concentrate better and get more real work done by the end of your day.
2. Is email time planned in your day? It seems that people expect to work a full day with projects and meetings, and then add in email. Email takes an average of 2-3 hours per day for most business people but most aren’t planning it into their days. As a result, they work more hours than needed and/or bring it home. Reduce your stress about email by making time for it on your daily calendar.
3. How well do you know your email software? If you are like most, you haven’t any advanced software training except for how to send and receive messages. You may be struggling with filing, organizing, tasking, and finding messages once received. I encourage you to learn your email software a little each day by pulling down a new menu and follow the arrowed path to see what capabilities your software has. You will be pleasantly surprised with what you come upon. If you use MS Outlook, there is much to be found at Tools, then Options.

Though there are more frustrating factors, I hope this helps you like doing email a little more because email is here to stay. Enjoy it and thrive!

Abby Marks Beale helps busy people work smarter, faster and just plain better. She is author of Success Skills: Strategies for Study and Lifelong Learning (soon to be out in 3rd edition) and 10 Days to Faster Reading (Warner Books). For more, please visit www.TheCorporateEducator.com.