Managing your email

Forty-four years after the first Electronic Mail was sent, email is a significant part of our everyday lives.  This communication tool was supposed to make our lives simpler, but if you don’t stay on top of it, your inbox can quickly become an overwhelming, jumbled mess!

Improve your productivity and effectiveness by taming your inbox with these basic tips:

• File, file, file. Only keep emails that need to be actioned in your inbox.  Tag those with a high priority.  Create folders and file everything else.
• Delete.  Don’t be afraid to delete emails to reduce clutter, and empty your deleted items folder regularly.
• Get Organised. Use the same file structure in your emails that you use on your computer.  This will make things much easier to find.
• Save to Disc: Save attachments you need to your hard disc or server.  They aren’t useful to you or others if they are hidden in your email folder.
• Sign it. But keep your email signatures simple to avoid being caught up in SPAM filters.
• Flag it. Use the follow-up function to set reminders for later action, but send a bridging response telling the sender when you will be able to answer their email.
• Learn the Rules! Explore the ‘Rules’ feature of your email application.  This tool can make your life simpler by automatically moving messages to specific folders.  You can create rules to move emails from a particular person, or with specific words in the message.  You can also flag types of messages or move RSS items to a special folder.

Some of these ideas come from a great book we have read called the Personal Efficiency Program (PEP) by Kerry Glesson.  We can highly recommend it as a fast, easy, effective read.

It's easy to tame your email but if you need help with these tips, or the more advanced featured of Outlook, please call us.  We're here to help.