Emailing – the most brilliant and efficient method of communicating and exchanging information. It has taken over our lives and made everything oh so much easier – up to a point. With the amount of e-traffic out there we are all in danger of being swamped with clutter in our in boxes which then turns a useful tool into something that is distracting, demoralising and time wasting. So, what can we do about it?
Sorting out our email systems is not very different to sorting out any other part of our life. It’s all about allocating a bit of time to decide what you want out of your email system, what you don’t want and when you want to use it. For example, unless your work demands constant instant responses (very few of us are in that situation, fortunately) you can decide when throughout the day you are going to check your in box as opposed to constantly scanning to see if you’ve been sent the latest ‘get rich quick’ offer (or worse!).
And that’s the next thing – spam. Originally some sort of ham children were forced to eat at school, it’s now just a major pain in the in box. So, take control! Set up spam filters before you get inundated. Here are just a few sites that can help:
There are many more so do a bit of research to find one that works best for you.
Another helpful tool is to set up sub folders. You may well have these set up already and if so I would advise updating the headings occasionally so they are still relevant and useful. General examples of sub folders could be:
Action
Reading
Pending
Family Holiday
School Messages
Specific work folders.
Just remember to check each folder regularly so you keep on top of what’s in there.
Finally, let’s just remember what emails are for. They are just one of many methods of communication and should not replace one to one interaction with colleagues, friends or family. Often an issue needs to be dealt with by telephone or face to face so it is important to be aware of when e-mailing won’t do that job. But with a bit of thought and sorting out, emails can help our lives run more smoothly, as long as we keep them in their place!
#lifecoaching #email #takecontrol #timemanagement