Welcome back to school! Happy 2009!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful vacation! I hate to bring up a horrendous and daunting topic, but it is now time to sift through your email! It has been waiting for you...Ahhh!
I am not sure about anyone else, but if I go more than 4 hours without checking my email, my INBOX becomes overloaded with email messages. So what happened over Christmas Break? I promised myself that I would check my email everyday, so that when I came back to work this morning I would not be overwhelmed with the hideous task of going through a GAZILLION email messages. So after shopping, napping, wrapping presents, playing with the kids, overindulging, etc, etc, etc. I managed to check my email a whole 3 times. Where did all the time go? For those of you that know me, that is unbelievable!!! Although I did check my email a few times (and picked a limited amount to reply to, I had 226 messages in my INBOX this morning. (So instead of replying to them, I decided to blog about it!!)
If you are wondering how to tackle your overloaded INBOX, I am here to rescue you! These are Ten Quick Tips for Handling Your INBOX (adapted from www.successnet.org).
Top Ten Ways to Handle Email Overload
1. Don’t Check Mail Every Few Minutes
This is very difficult for most people (especially me) but it’s much more productive to stay focused on your current work and pick specific times each day to check your email.
2. Flag Messages for Later Action
Click on the flag next to emails that need action soon. The other messages can wait (or...GASP! They can be deleted!) You can sort your inbox to all of the flagged messages and use this as a "TO DO" list.
3. Use Folders
Create folders for messages that you need to keep, or for specific groups and people. This will help you sort through your messages faster and clear out your inbox.
4. Set up Rules
You can create rules for specific incoming email messages. If you constantly receive ISS lists, Absentee Rosters, etc. that you would like to keep, but look at later, this is the perfect solution for you. Create a folder and a rule that sends the perpetrating email to the folder for you to look at later. This way, it is not clogging up your INBOX.
5. Deal with Similar Responses All At Once
By sorting your mail using the methods described above, you can now deal with similar messages all at once. You save time by not having to look up the same info all over again.
6. Templates
If you are constantly sending out similar emails (every day, every week, etc.), then create a template that you can use over and over again. They’ll save you oodles of time for those responses that require the same or similar information on a regular basis. Just create your new message based upon your pre-established template and edit as needed.
7. Cut, Copy, Paste
One of the most powerful features of today’s email programs is the ability to cut and paste—sometimes multiple pieces—of information to transfer from one document to another. Save the typing time. Copy from other documents and paste into email. (This works for saving important information located in an email, too. Copy and paste the information you want to save into a WORD document...and then DELETE the email!)
8. Make Heavy Use of the Delete Key
Hardly anything can free up your inbox more than deleting email you don’t want. Hitting the delete key or delete button is the best way to dump data. Sometimes I go back and wonder why I kept an email, when I should have just deleted it. Just remember, the messages you don't delete today, will come back and haunt you when your INBOX has a million messages waiting for you to clean up!
9. Signature Files
You can use different signature lines for different email messages. If you are sending a message in which the person is going to need all of your contact information, send your signature with phone, email, fax, address,etc. If you are sending a message to a student who is going to need to know your office hours or tutoring times, send the email using that signature. It really helps save time and saves the back and forth emailing to retrieve information.
10. Customize Your Program
Most people use only 20-30% of an email program’s capability. Take this up to even 50% and you’ll marvel at your added efficiency. Investing some time in learning more of the features of your email program and then customizing it to work the way YOU want it to will keep your INBOX happy and not overloaded!
I am not sure about anyone else, but if I go more than 4 hours without checking my email, my INBOX becomes overloaded with email messages. So what happened over Christmas Break? I promised myself that I would check my email everyday, so that when I came back to work this morning I would not be overwhelmed with the hideous task of going through a GAZILLION email messages. So after shopping, napping, wrapping presents, playing with the kids, overindulging, etc, etc, etc. I managed to check my email a whole 3 times. Where did all the time go? For those of you that know me, that is unbelievable!!! Although I did check my email a few times (and picked a limited amount to reply to, I had 226 messages in my INBOX this morning. (So instead of replying to them, I decided to blog about it!!)
If you are wondering how to tackle your overloaded INBOX, I am here to rescue you! These are Ten Quick Tips for Handling Your INBOX (adapted from www.successnet.org).
Top Ten Ways to Handle Email Overload
1. Don’t Check Mail Every Few Minutes
This is very difficult for most people (especially me) but it’s much more productive to stay focused on your current work and pick specific times each day to check your email.
2. Flag Messages for Later Action
Click on the flag next to emails that need action soon. The other messages can wait (or...GASP! They can be deleted!) You can sort your inbox to all of the flagged messages and use this as a "TO DO" list.
3. Use Folders
Create folders for messages that you need to keep, or for specific groups and people. This will help you sort through your messages faster and clear out your inbox.
4. Set up Rules
You can create rules for specific incoming email messages. If you constantly receive ISS lists, Absentee Rosters, etc. that you would like to keep, but look at later, this is the perfect solution for you. Create a folder and a rule that sends the perpetrating email to the folder for you to look at later. This way, it is not clogging up your INBOX.
5. Deal with Similar Responses All At Once
By sorting your mail using the methods described above, you can now deal with similar messages all at once. You save time by not having to look up the same info all over again.
6. Templates
If you are constantly sending out similar emails (every day, every week, etc.), then create a template that you can use over and over again. They’ll save you oodles of time for those responses that require the same or similar information on a regular basis. Just create your new message based upon your pre-established template and edit as needed.
7. Cut, Copy, Paste
One of the most powerful features of today’s email programs is the ability to cut and paste—sometimes multiple pieces—of information to transfer from one document to another. Save the typing time. Copy from other documents and paste into email. (This works for saving important information located in an email, too. Copy and paste the information you want to save into a WORD document...and then DELETE the email!)
8. Make Heavy Use of the Delete Key
Hardly anything can free up your inbox more than deleting email you don’t want. Hitting the delete key or delete button is the best way to dump data. Sometimes I go back and wonder why I kept an email, when I should have just deleted it. Just remember, the messages you don't delete today, will come back and haunt you when your INBOX has a million messages waiting for you to clean up!
9. Signature Files
You can use different signature lines for different email messages. If you are sending a message in which the person is going to need all of your contact information, send your signature with phone, email, fax, address,etc. If you are sending a message to a student who is going to need to know your office hours or tutoring times, send the email using that signature. It really helps save time and saves the back and forth emailing to retrieve information.
10. Customize Your Program
Most people use only 20-30% of an email program’s capability. Take this up to even 50% and you’ll marvel at your added efficiency. Investing some time in learning more of the features of your email program and then customizing it to work the way YOU want it to will keep your INBOX happy and not overloaded!
Well I am off to answer email messages now....wish me luck!!!
Gretchen
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