7 ways to deal with email overload

July 5th, 2005

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…

Filed under Working smarter |

2 Responses to “7 ways to deal with email overload”

  1. ClearContext Corporate Weblog on July 5, 2005 7:59 pm

    Darwin Magazine Posts 7 Tips for Getting Control of Email

    Darwin Magazine has posted seven tips for getting control of email. Their tips are worth a look, but most interesting is their final recommendation:At the end each day, businesspeople should see where e-mail was effective and where it was a

  2. Jack Yan on July 7, 2005 12:05 pm

    The seventh tip makes a lot of sense. I get 300 a day, and if I didn’t do batches, I’d be in trouble. Now: PA wanted. Must be able to type in English to Hart’s Rules.

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