Property ManagementEasing E-Mail
It"s interesting. Technology is often heralded as a servant for
us yet frequently we become a servant to it. E-mail was trumpeted
as the new communications tool that would surely put first class
"snail mail" out of business. Last year, the U. S. Post Office
delivered more pieces of first class mail than ever and e-mails
exceeded the volume of first class mailings. We have created
another layer of communicating with one another and an additional
responsibility to monitor and manage.
E-mail is a useful tool but many feel controlled by this new
vehicle. The average businessperson is getting around 80 e-mails
per day and many feel that about 80% of the messages in their "In
Box" are of little or no value.
So, as always, rising to the occasion, I have four suggestions to
help you to become better at "Easing E-mail".
Get off the lists. The best way to deal with a problem is to
never have it. If you are receiving a lot of unwanted e-mails,
ask to be removed from the various lists. This would include your
inclusion in unwanted "cc" lists or unappreciated solicitations
from those promising "unlimited wealth without risk or effort".
Get an unlisted address. Just like getting an "unlisted" telephone
number that you share only with those whom you want to give
direct access, you might want to get a separate e-mail address
that you use only for the important communications you wish to
receive.
Check email once or twice per day, and no more. Many I speak with are become
chained to their email server, monitoring incoming email on a
continuous basis. Maybe this is because e-mail creates its own
sense of urgency, but most of the communications are not all that
urgent. I let my "incoming" batch up and I respond to them a
couple of times per day.
Deal with it. Like handling paper, you don"t want to get into the
"shuffling blues" where you read e-mail, postpone action, save
it, re-read it later, and allow things to slip through the
cracks. As you open each e-mail do one of the following:
If it requires a quick response, (it will only take a minute or
two), respond to it and delete it.
If it requires a response but is not the best use of your time,
try to think of a way of delegating it. There"s a lot of
difference between "I do it" and "It gets done".
If it is going to take any serious amount of time to respond
beyond a minute or two), schedule it for action in your Day
Planner and then download the message, save it, or print it out
for future action.
I personally receive approximately 250 e-mails per day and by
practicing the suggestions above, I can handle that volume in
about an hour, taking advantage of this fantastic tool but not
being controlled by it to the distraction of more important tasks
in my day.
Also See:
How Virtual Agents Use E-mail
How to Handle Email Inquiries
Effective E-Mail Is More Than Netiquette
The Importance of Context in Email