E-mail Overload

I get a lot of email. A lot. Really, really a lot. I’ve read many “strategies” for getting it under control from blocking software/permissions software to checking less frequently….. But this article, Tips for Mastering E-mail Overload Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge, has some of the best suggestions I’ve seen. If we can get our collegues to consider these suggestions, I think we’ll all be better off!

Write better emails
Use a subject line to summarize, not describe.
Give your reader full context at the start of your message.
When you copy lots of people, be clear why each person should care.
Use separate messages rather than bcc (blind carbon copy).
Make action requests clear.
Separate topics into separate e-mails … up to a point.
Combine separate points into one message.
Edit forwarded messages.

Manage email better
Check e-mail at defined times each day.
Charge people for sending you messages. (radical!)
Train people to be relevant.
Answer briefly.
Send out delayed responses.
Ignore it.

Hey – read the article. There are more than these and the details and examples are really terrific. If you like the article, send me an email. <just kidding, don’t! I have too much email already>