| |
| |
|
Go Back | About | Contact | Web Design News | |
|
|
|
Tips to Manage Incoming E-mail
Friends, colleagues, and clients are all telling me that one of their biggest challenges is trying to manage e-mail overload. They say everyone wants something from them and consequently, they're buried in e-mail. Is this a struggle for you? If so, here are a few tips that will save you some time in reading and receiving e-mail. 1. Limit personal e-mail at work. Yes, this may seem a drastic step but it's one that will help you stay focused on priorities so you can complete your work and then spend time doing the things that mean the most to you. 2. Use a spam program. Your employer or ISP may already cover this but if you are running your own system you'll want a spam blocker to help minimize unwanted e-mail as much as possible. (Tip: PC World rates Cloudmark's SpamNet as one of the best.) 3. Use folders to store e-mail. Your inbox isn't a storage facility, it's for incoming mail. Create folders within your e-mail program that "mirror" the folders you use to store hardcopy in your office/workspace. 4. Change the subject of e-mails to summarize its content. Make it easy to find any e-mail you decide to keep by changing the subject. For example: if you receive an e-mail with the subject "Update" and it turns out to be a request for you to send someone an update, change the subject to "Send John Doe product update on 8/29/05." This functionality is available in most e-mail programs. 5. Limit the frequency with which you review and process incoming e-mail to 2 or 3x's per day. Pick times other than when you are most focused, creative, or energized. 6. As a general rule, separate the task of "processing" your incoming e-mail from "working" on your e-mail. Exception: If you can reply or forward an e-mail in a minute or two, do it, then delete it. Otherwise, save the doing/replying/composing for a later work period. 7. Organize your e-mail by "Received" order. In other words, make sure you've set up your inbox so the newest e-mails are on top. 8. Empty your e-mail inbox in five steps. Here's how:
Pam N. Woods is co-author of a bestselling book, Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: Secrets and Strategies from the World's Greatest Mentors; endorsed by Ken Blanchard and Dr. Stephen Covey. She is a Coach U graduate and President of Smart WorkLife Solutions, a coaching and consulting company devoted to co-creating customized solutions to fit clients business and personal organizing needs. Prior to founding her own firm she had a successful 20+ year career as an insurance executive and Vice President of Human Resources. For more free how-to articles and advice, or to contact Woods, visit http://www.worklifecoach.com Copyright 2005 - Pam Woods
MORE RESOURCES:
Time-Management - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Time Management Training - A Necessary Investment or A Waste Of Money? Many organisations view time management training as something they'll spend their money on, only if they have to. Usually when pruning the company or department budget, training is often the first area that gets the chop. Get More Done at Your Office: Focus on These Eight Areas for Increased Productivity Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and on using them both well. It can be overwhelming to get your office into shape and still get your work done. Organization Tips That Add More Hours To Your Day One of the most common complaints that small business owners have is lack of time. What most don't realize, however is that their lack of time stems from a lack of organization. Emergency Living There are times, when I am driving in my car being passed by so many other cars speeding along, that I could swear there is an emergency somewhere and I wasn't invited. It seems everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere. Time Management Mastery From Potential to PerformanceOne of the great things about life is that we can realistically be or do anything we choose to. This includes being a good time manager! We must believe that we can be a good time manager - that we have the potential. Boost Your Productivity with 10 Minutes at the End of Your Day Once you have completed your day you can boost your efforts for tomorrow with an investment of only 10 minutes. Apply these strategies at the end of your work day and you will definitely increase your productivity. Just Remind Yourself This is one more article on "Organizing and Enjoying Your Life". Much has already been written about this in magazines, books and on Internet. Tips to Manage Incoming E-mail Friends, colleagues, and clients are all telling me that one of their biggest challenges is trying to manage e-mail overload. They say everyone wants something from them and consequently, they're buried in e-mail. Work at Home Moms: Time Management Tips "How do you DO it?!" If I had a dime for every time I heard that, I would be able to quit my home business.Just kidding. Managing Time to Accomplish More Time is inelastic. Despite what some of us persist in believing, it will NOT magically expand to accommodate all we have to do. Seven Ways to Say, No! A common remedy for improving your time management is to develop the ability of saying, "NO." Since it is easier to recommend than to do, here are some tips on how to do it. Time and Life, Bit by Bit Looking out through my picture window during a recent winter storm, I felt like I was in a giant snow globe. Big, fluffy snowflakes were falling, covering everything with a nice wintry blanket. Tips to Save One Hour Per Day At Home? Keep related items together, for example the coffee filters and coffee "live" above or near the coffee maker. (saves 2-5 minutes a day)? Create a communication center on the fridge for messages, chores etc. Effective Email and Verses Voicemail Time management consultant Stephen Young claims that the average time consumed by an unplanned telephone call is 12 minutes, verses 7 minutes for a planned call. This represents five-minute savings every time you jot down some notes before dialing a number. Time Management: A Non-Renewable Resource Benjamin Franklin wrote: "If you want to enjoy one of the greatest luxuries in life, the luxury of having enough time, time to rest, time to think things through, time to get things done and know you have done them to the best of your ability, remember, there is only one way. Take enough time to think and plan things in the order of their importance. Organize Your Time Most people want to start a home-based business to make more money to supplement their income. The issue though, is finding the time to make this happen. Low Tech Time Management A simple kitchen gadget is transforming my life. I don't know why I never thought of it before. 31 Ways to Get An Extra Hour Out of Each Day How can you get an extra hour out of each day? For many small business owners this is a daily challenge. I myself have often wished that there were 27 hours in the day. Top Ten Motivators Setting goals is the easy part -- but sticking with them over the long run can be a major challenge! Some people think that motivation requires will-power and dedication. Actually, staying motivated is all about setting up an environment that is conducive to you accomplishing your goals. Effective Time Management Techniques TIME MANAGEMENTWith the creation of the universe, God gave humankind a miraculous gift. A wonderful gift which cannot be seen or touched but without which there will be no meaning in life.
|
ChicagoAnimation's Acquisitions: Market Polls - 1pennyStock.com
Sponsors: Paving | VTL's | Religious Statues
