If you feel that email feels like more burden than it’s worth, then you need email management tips.
The truth is, email is a valuable tool that has revolutionised the way that we work, if you feel like email is a burden and a drain on time you need help on how to deal with it and making it less of a burden.
When used correctly, email is a terrific time saver and productivity tool. For many of us, without access to the type of email we’re used to using today we would not have the careers that we have. But, for it to remain a tool of productivity and not a drag, it’s important to learn how to manage it better and that is why as a busy Virtual Assistant I am passing my email management tips on to you.
Here’s how:
1) Use Labels and Folders – Every email software comes with the ability to automatically put emails in to particular folders or add labels to them as they come through. It really does reduce your stress if things go into folders as they come in, so you can take one look and differentiate what is an emergency and what can wait until later. I’ve set my client emails to go direct into their appointed folder
2) Check Email Regularly – You don’t want to be tied to your email but you also don’t want multiple emails piled up. So check your email on a regular schedule, and then deal with each email accordingly. I schedule to check my email at regular intervals throughout the day.
3) Respond promptly – When a client/customer has sent you something in an email such as paperwork, forms, important information to do with your work that you have to respond to, be sure to quickly hit reply and just respond with a simple “Thanks! Got it.” It’s that simple. You do not always have to respond about the item they sent immediately, then flag it to deal with it at a more appropriate time, you can download the item and save it with a reminder to the appropriate.
4) Read, Respond and File – Before there was email, there was snail mail. We all learned that the best way to check the mail was at our desks, near the file cabinet as well as the waste paper bin. Nothing has really changed. When you check your email you should read, respond and/or file it away depending upon the email. You can then, in most email programs, turn an email into a scheduled task.
5) Reduce Incoming Emails – Turn off notifications from social media; unsubscribe from newsletters you don’t read but that you did sign up for. You can use a service called Unroll.me to get it done fast. The service will return a list and you can then just choose which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to unsubscribe to. You add the things you want to see to your daily roll up, which enables you to view them when you want to, but not clutter up your email. The other method I use to avoid clutter is Tip 6
6) Create a Disposable or “Burner” Email Address – If you like to read a lot online, or sign up to a lot of newsletters choose a free email address from Google or Yahoo for anyone who doesn’t require a business email address and for whom prompt reply will not be needed. You can always delete that email address and create a new one as needed. This can reduce what you receive in your work email exponentially. I have a Google email which I use for this purpose for some newsletters and social media platforms where I know I am going to get a lot of notifications. I have set mine up to include my virtuoso-pa name – I also encourage my social media clients’ to do this, in fact I set them up for them and manage them myself. I don’t want them to have the hassle of dealing with email they don’t need to know about.
7) Learn Your Software – A great example is the ability to “un-send” emails in Google email programs. Many people do not know this exists. You only have about 30 seconds to realise you should un-send it and click “undo send,” but it’s possible. If you use Google, make sure that you use this. If you use something else, find out whether or not you really know how to use your software to its fullest potential. If not, then you’ll want to train yourself on how to use all the features your email program offers.
8) Outsource – If you have a lot of customer service emails, don’t handle them yourself. It’s important to understand that since it’s your business, many of those customer service issues can take you a long time to deal with due to your emotional attachment to the issues. Instead, hire someone like Virtuoso-PA to take care of customer service. I will alert you to the most pressing issues that only you can deal with and handle the rest myself.
Getting control of your email will enable you to become more productive, organised, and more effective at doing your job or running your business. You will feel more free and accomplished if your email is organised and not out of control.
