Email has long been a valuable asset to business, yet managing it effectively can be one of the hardest challenges. Reading emails can take up much of your time and lead to unproductive tasks and missed opportunities.
Utilizing email management tips that match your workflow and personal style is the key to successfully organizing email. These email management techniques will save you from frustration with an overflowing inbox while increasing productivity.
Create Email Labels
A system of folders or labels in your inbox can help you manage and prioritize emails more effectively. Create folders based on type of email, project, client or any other naming convention to make searching for specific information easier in future; reduce scrolling time in general while organizing emails into categories easily. Or use Gmail’s hierarchies or nested labels for added organization that’s easy to navigate.
Email Templates Template emails can help streamline communication with clients and colleagues by preformatting messages for frequently asked questions or responses to simple requests. Save these templates in a cloud storage service or note-taking app so you can access them from within your email and quickly send them with just a single click. Alternatively, set up Smart Replies that automatically reply with preformatted responses based on specific keywords or phrases – the possibilities are limitless!
Follow the Two Minute Rule Adopting the two-minute rule can have a dramatic impact on your productivity. This simple strategy states that any email that requires immediate response must be handled within two minutes or it can be put off until later – this allows you to focus on more pressing projects without losing important emails in your inbox.
Evaluate Your Emails
Take time to evaluate your inbox, taking note of major trends. For example, if there are frequent copies of invoices that require some action but are not urgent (e.g. setting up filters to move these to a folder for safekeeping), so that they can be reviewed when you have some free time instead of interrupting work processes with repeated rereading of these messages.
Only Touch It Once
Applying the touch-it-once principle can be an effective strategy to limit email’s negative effect on your workday. When receiving emails that require further consideration in the future – such as those from clients seeking project details – make sure to flag them so you can easily revisit them later without needing to search through old messages and will help ensure you do not overlook any emails! This strategy also reduces stress.
