Don’t Become a Slave to Email

Check out my article on good inbox management techniques published in the August Issue of Outlook Power Magazine.    In a nutshell, I prescribe a six point process for getting more productivity out of email:

  1. Utilize technology to mitigate the impact of spam.
  2. Use automation to prioritize email.
  3. Take action on email as you process it.
  4. Read the entire thread before responding.
  5. Don’t become a slave to email.
  6. Set up an archiving/storage system that works for you.

The bottom line here is best summed up by one of our 2005 Email Usage Survey respondents:

"The fact is that email is the conduit for virtually all business work product in the 21st century.  Learning to manage it appropriately becomes everyone’s personal responsibility."

For the full text of the article, including an explanation of each point, see Don’t Become a Slave to Email.  For additional tips and techniques on email related issues, see our previously posted top five lists (downloadable pdf versions of these tips are located on our additional information page):

Top Five Ways to Manage the Inbox Effectively
Top Five Ways to Reduce Email Traffic
Top Five Ways to Improve Email Etiquette
Top Five Email Policy Considerations

3 comments.

  1. I just read your article. As we say in Oakland, that’s dope.
    Very informative. Great article.

  2. 2006 Email Usage Survey Wrap Up

    Last week we posted our analysis of the results from the 2006 Email Usage Survey, concluding that people are spending more time than ever in email and taking advantage of alternate modes of access to get to their Inbox when

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