7 Ways to Manage E-mail Effectively

E-mail is becoming more of a productivity pirate than a productivity booster because people don't know how to manage it properly, according to productivity expert Dan Stamp, Chairman of Priority Management Systems Inc., a worldwide training company.

The number of e-mail messages being exchanged is multiplying rapidly as Internet connectivity increases both at work and at home. People deal with an average of 36 e-mail messages a day . And the number of worldwide e-mail messages sent on an average day will grow from 5 billion in 1999 to 18 billion in 2003 .

"As we receive more and more e-mail messages, it can feel like being hit by a digital deluge," says Dan Stamp. "Without the skills to manage e-mail effectively, many people are wasting time just trying to keep up instead of gaining productivity through technology."

Priority Management offers seven tactics for effective e-mail management:

Turn off the alarm or visual message
"You wouldn't let the mail carrier empty a mailbag on your desk 10 times a day and you certainly wouldn't let them ring a bell with each delivery," Dan Stamp points out. "That's exactly what you are doing if you check each e-mail when it arrives." Turn off the alarm or visual message and take control of your e-mail and your time.

Treat e-mail like regular mail
Try to check your e-mail at regular times in the day, i.e. early morning, mid-day and late afternoon. Even if you receive a high volume of e-mails, you shouldn't check more than four times a day. And throw out the junk or respond immediately to those that require your attention.

Create short answers
Short answers reduce the length and frequency of messages you receive. It's acceptable to send back a message that simply reads "Done" or "Thanks".

Delete diligently
Most people save too many e-mails. Delete messages as soon as you respond to them. If you have to save something, transfer it to a folder.

Use an autoreply
People may assume you've received and read urgent messages when in fact you're not even in the office. Use an autoreply that tells people you are out of the office.

Take control of your Inbox
Subscribe to e-mail services selectively. Ask friends or colleagues who frequently send lame jokes or huge files to stop. Get a separate e-mail address for personal communication or one that you give just to key contacts, similar to an unlisted phone number.

Use caution
Sometimes it's too easy to hit the "Send" button and before you know it, you've sent words you will regret. In the end, it will take more time to do damage control than to let your emotions cool down before sending a message. Sarcasm or other attempts at humor can be misinterpreted. Any e-mail you send could be forwarded and your message could go public.

"E-mail can save businesses considerable time and money," says Priority Management's Dan Stamp. "But managing e-mail is a skill that's just as important to acquire as other essential management skills such as communication, planning and prioritizing."

Priority Management is currently training Microsoft staff to use Outlook™ more effectively with its "Working Sm@rt with Microsoft Outlook™" program. Priority Management is also conducting the Tech Time Quiz, an online survey at www.prioritymanagement.com, to gauge how effectively people are using the technologies available to them. Results will be released in the next few months.

Priority Management is a worldwide training company with 100 offices in 15 countries. They have successfully trained more than one million graduates in Priority programs. These programs help companies and people be more effective in and out of the office by providing tools, processes and discipline. Clients range from small business entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies.

For more information contact:

Priority Management, Canada (604) 214-7772