While e-mail can enhance your productivity, it can also be a huge distraction trap if you are not careful. Each incoming e-mail calls for your attention. How do you keep yourself from getting sucked into the e-mail trap? You must develop guidelines for yourself on when and to what you will respond. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.
** Set specific times when you will review incoming e-mail. Some people set 8, 12, and 4 as times to read e-mail.
** During those times, create guidelines on what you will respond to immediately and what later. For example, you might respond to client emails immediately and company e-mails at the end of the day.
** To prevent procrastination or a huge pile of emails, set up sub-rules such as “If it takes less than 60 seconds to respond, I will respond immediately. Otherwise, end of day.”
** Set up sub-directories to sort different categories of e-mail and for easier reading later. You might create sub-directories for company product info, compliance info, specific projects, etc.
** Set up a different e-mail address for work related e-mail and non-work. Review non-work e-mail in non-work hours.
** Turn off incoming alerts on e-mail. You won’t forget if you don’t get an audio cue.
** When finished responding, delete it or store it so it doesn’t clutter your in-box.
If you’re not getting accomplished what you want to each day, call 800-865-2867. We will help you assess your current work processes and find ways to make them more efficient.