The average person receives more than 120 emails each day. Taken as a whole, hundreds of billions of emails fly through cyberspace on a daily basis. No wonder it feels like you’re overwhelmed.
If you’re not careful, dealing with emails can take over your entire schedule. That’s why you need to be smart about how you handle the correspondence.
Here are some email productivity tips that will help you win back your day:
Create an email routine
Emails come at random times. As such, they can easily interrupt the flow of your other responsibilities. You feel the need to drop everything to answer the incoming message.
Ignore this temptation. Instead, create blocks during the day when you can set aside time to answer emails. Except for emergencies (in which case, you should probably be notified by text rather than email), you can wait to respond until it fits into your schedule.
Get the most out of filters
Some emails come in as a matter of routine. Monthly reports or weekly updates. Meanwhile, other senders require a quick response — you don’t want to fall behind in replying to your direct supervisor.
Let the computer do the initial sorting for you. By setting up filters, you can direct particular messages to the appropriate folder. This lets you react efficiently to important items, while easing the process of sifting through the rest.
Keep your responses short
Get efficient about responding to emails. First, consider whether a message requires a reply at all. Often, you can just absorb the data provided by informational or group emails without extending the conversation.
For emails that require an answer, keep your response as short as possible. If you start to get too long, consider scheduling a call or a video chat to deal with the discussion that way.
Set up folders to organize your incoming emails
Most of your emails will fall into identifiable categories. Create folders to correspond with these distinctions. This will make it easier to organize your incoming messages. At the same time, you’ll be able to direct your focus to the emails that require the most attention.
Have templates ready for routine responses
You probably find yourself sending the same basic email over and over. Take advantage of that repetition. Rather than starting from scratch each time, build templates you can use in routine situations.
From introductions to customer complaints to coworker interactions, you likely see the same circumstances pop up again and again. Get the most out of your time by copy and pasting the basic format.
Don’t let emails linger
Clear your inbox every day. Whether you move the message to the appropriate folder, respond to it, or delete it, make sure that you act on each incoming email. This way, you don’t get backed up.
Contact PrideStaff Bend Today
Increasing your email productivity will help you get the most out of your job. You’ll also maximize your potential by finding a position that perfectly suits your skills and background. Here, a top recruiter like PrideStaff Bend represents a big help. Contact us today to learn more.
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