Do you have too many emails in your inbox? Does it feel overwhelming? Are you using your inbox as a reminder system?
If so, you may find Getting Email Under Control a helpful article. This article was provided by The David Allen Company, Getting Things Done. I use a modified version of the principles in this article consistently--especially the liberal use of DELETE.
I get a lot of email. Here is a graph showing my monthly average incoming email. I get approximately 40 emails per work day.
By the end of most days (bearing in mind that I process a lot of email in the evenings), my email box, following a modified system outlined in the above article, looks like this:
My point is this--a modified system similar to the one described in the article works, reduces stress, and increases productivity.
I found the following graph even more interesting--I send a lot of email! This produces work for others and inevitably leads to more incoming email. This graphs shows that I sent more than 600 emails in September and November and nearly 600 in October. My lowest month was just over 400 emails!
I have begun to ask myself, "Is email the best approach to communication or should I call instead?" Phone calling has the advantage of cutting down on multiple responses to the same email, is more personal, and can lead to better understanding.
On the other hand, it can be unproductive to make multiple calls and not reach someone. There is also no digital trail for documentation and follow-up.
I have a love and hate relationship with email. I find it incredibility useful but maddening--no sooner than I empty my inbox I can literally see it filling up again! Given the number of emails that I send, I am sure my staff must feel the same! (Photo from Cartoonstock).
Managing email will be an ongoing battle but one that can be won by using the right tools and strategies. I have found the practices outlined in the aforementioned article, along with the rigorous application of GTD practices, to be very helpful.
Response:
- Is the volume of your email overwhelming?
- How do you manage email effectively?
- Is email a blessing or a curse?
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