adoption curve dot net

Courtesy of Darwinmag.com, here’s seven ways to deal with email overload:

1. If any subject or issue involves more than two e-mails, one party should call the other to resolve the issue by phone.
2. No junk e-mail, no jokes.
3. Only send relevant information, which is defined as just what the person needs to know.
4. Limit CCs (which might be more appropriately named CYA).
5. Don’t ping-pong with e-mail for a conversation; use the phone.
6. Deal with it and delete it.
7. Don’t read every e-mail as it comes in; handle them in batches.

I’m not sure I necessarily agree with the first – sometimes email can actually be a more focussed and productive way of dealing with a tricky issue, although that does depend a lot on the verbosity and writing ability of the correspondents.

And in finest Blue Peter fashion, here’s some other ideas we prepared earlier…