ELW@PLS2008: Day 3 - Organize your email

Day 3: Improve communication, time management, and workplace stress— organize your email!





One thing that stresses me out is my email inbox. It’s like a black hole, the Bermuda Triangle, and the 5th dimension all in one. I miss important messages, lose my tasks, and it is far too easy to let things pile up until it is a major project to get it under control. But email is a vital communication tool. So, what can one do?

Going forward:

1. Use the “touch once” model for messages—Read it. Reply to it. File it.
1. If you don’t have the time to deal with the message, don’t open it.
2. Don’t try to handle every message as it arrives.
1. Turn off new mail alerts.
1. Schedule a time to process email—every day for ½ an hour after lunch, for example.
1. Do as much as you can.
1. Handle messages in order.
3. Check out some more tips for efficient email use:
1. http://email.about.com/od/emailmanagementtips/Email_Productivity_Tips_and_Communication_Skills.htm
2. http://www.emailoverload.com/advice/TopTips.php

Using Zimbra tools to clean up the deadwood:

1. Change your new mail alerts
2. Set up mail filters
3. Advanced search – searching by size is extremely useful when you are getting close to your quota!
4. Batch delete