Time Management

Don’t Get Boxed In by Your In-Box!

Email and the internet have drastically altered the way we do business.   Communication is faster and easier and we have a wealth of information literally at our fingertips.  But the email demon can sabotage our productivity, both at work and at home.   Here are some tips for taking control of your email inbox and getting back on track at work. 

1. Keep business and personal emails separate.  Some employers have specific rules in place regarding the use of your business email account for personal use.  Also, if you are constantly distracted by messages from friends and family, your productivity will suffer.  You can set up filters to route all incoming mail from friends and family to your home email or other secondary account.  
   
2. Watch out for spam.   It is estimated that over 12 billion spam messages are sent out on a daily basis.  Use spam filters for all of your email accounts and never reply to an email that you suspect may be spam.  Also be careful when shopping with online retailers or signing up at other internet sites.  Use an alternate email account for these activities and keep that spam out of your work inbox.  Be sure to check with your company’s IT department for other tips or suggestions they may have to combat spam.  And remember to keep your antivirus software up-to-date and running, as many spam emails and attachments can contain malicious code.
   
3. Keep that inbox tidy.  Just like the top of your desk, keep your inbox free of clutter by completely emptying it as often as possible.  Set up folders to hold emails with important information; this will keep them out of the way, yet accessible should you need to retrieve them.  And once you’ve dealt with a particular email and don’t necessarily need to keep it, delete it.
   
4. Decide if a response is necessary.  Sometimes no response is better than a one-word response such as “Thanks.”  Limit your replies to those instances when you need to request further information or have a need to discuss what you’ve received.
   
5. Make the most of your email program.  Many email programs feature time-saving shortcuts that can make your life a lot easier and reduce the amount of time you spend with your email.  Have you set up an automatic signature that includes your name, title, phone and fax numbers?  Filters can route incoming mail to specific folders based on the sender or even keywords.  
   
6. Let your legs, instead of your fingers, do the walking.  Sometimes it’s just better to get up, stretch your legs, and visit the sender of an email (if possible).   Face to face contact, or even a telephone call, may be the best way to handle information of a sensitive nature.  And you will also get the benefit of real contact with other people, not just your PC.