MANAGING EMAIL: TAME THE DAILY CHAOS & PREVENT INFORMATION OVERLOAD

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Submitted Date 09/18/2019
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Managing Email: Tame the Daily Chaos & Prevent Information Overload

Do you need help managing your email? Do you desire to tame the chaos that often comes with managing mail? If so, then read these mail management ideas to help you as a busy mom.

Fast & Convenient Communication

Email is a fast and expedient way to communicate with others. As a busy mom (or dad), you may have a multitude of friends, associates, and colleagues. Chances are you receive plenty of emails every day. Moreover, the next thing you know, your email box is cluttered and out of control.

Mom & Dad Entrepreneur

If you are an entrepreneur, email is handy for you. It allows you to run your business anywhere and any time of the day. You communicate with your suppliers, stakeholders, clients, and customers. Your employees interact with you. Also, you set meetings from where you are.

Decreased Productivity

However, emails impede productivity when they are, and they are not appropriately managed. According to some research studies, one-quarter of an employee's day is spent on email. This includes reading and answering emails. In this case, email is the second "most time-consuming activity" for employees.

Exhausting & Time Consuming

Almost everybody, from employees to CEO and managers, receives hundreds and thousands (for some) emails each day. Reading and answering each of these emails can be an exhausting and time-consuming task.

An overcrowded and cluttered inbox contains unopened, old, and even irrelevant emails create discontentment. Hence, it hinders you from maximizing your time and disrupts other responsibilities.

We have here simple and easy tips to manage your emails and maintain an uncluttered inbox to a "minimum" level:

 

Create Folders & Organize Messages

Make use of folders, categories, and labels within the email box. For instance, you can create a folder for all work emails. Alternatively, you can create a folder within your email system for "Take Action" items. Using this one simple step in creating folders (or using tags) can help your email box become more organized.

Sort, categorize, file, and prioritize emails to maintain an organized inbox in a way that is best for you. This will allow you to find specific emails anytime you need them. You can also create "parent" categories for broader subjects like projects, clients, and finances.

Create Subcategories As Needed

Create subcategories to file emails related to particular clients or projects. Make sure the subject line or email tag is search friendly. This increases the ability to find specific email more efficiently.

Allow notifications from social media like Facebook to go straight to a social media folder. While Gmail does this under the social tab automatically, you may set up the same method with other email services.

Improved Email Sorting & Grouping

When emails are sorted and grouped, it will be easy for you to view them. It will also be easier to delete them with a single click. In the end, the total folders and how you name them depend on your personal needs.

Create a Daily Target

Create a target to have only twenty (or a specific number) emails in your inbox. Choose an amount which works for you as a busy mom or dad. This means that you will be able to see the entire inbox with scrolling.

File or remove emails when you read them or see them. Messages from the past week which are needed remain in your inbox. Otherwise, read them, file or delete. The more emails you can delete, the better.

Use Strategic Actions

Choose a specific time of day to review emails is strategic. This allows you to check your email and then focus on more important things in your day.

Respond or write back immediately when possible, especially if you can answer in a few short sentences. Need more time for a specific message? Flag it for further action. You are taking immediate decisions and act when possible makes your inbox manageable.

Cancel Unneeded Subscriptions

Are you getting a large number of unwanted emails? Cancel subscriptions as needed. Newsletters can overwhelm your inbox quickly and create further chaos. As a result, you have a cluttered inbox.

For newsletters, you desire to keep for a while, create folders to view later. Create subfolders as needed. Unsubscribe from other ones as needed. Each email should legally come with an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.

Evaluate Emails Daily

Every day evaluate the emails you receive. Elect what you want to do with them – during your scheduled email time:

Answer them right away. Quick email responses only take a few minutes. Do these immediately. Do not wait for another day.

Place it on your "to-do" list. You can do this for emails which are more time involved. Creating a to-do list helps clear your inbox.

If you are using Gmail, you can archive. This means these emails go to a "holding tank" in your Gmail account. You do not have to create a folder for them. Just archive them! You can use the search function to find relevant emails if needed.

Spam - delete these emails.

Do A Tame the Chaos Session

Does your email box contain thousands of emails? Alternatively, is it overwhelming you as a busy mom or a working dad?

Take time to do a "tame the chaos" email session. Dedicate a certain amount of time each day to make progress in deleting emails, filing emails in folders, so forth. You can do this! Then, you start, afresh!

Reflecting: Your Email Way of Life

Wow! Now, you have created a way to tame the email chaos in your life! If you haven't taken these steps, by all means, find the time. Schedule a minimum of 15 to 30 time each day. Get up a little earlier in the morning to work on your email box. Ask a family member to keep the kids for a few hours.

You can do this! Gain control by creating a system to help tame chaos. Organize emails by folders and subfolders. Create your desired target as described. Evaluate your email. Discard items not needed. Unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters. Reflect on a better way of life – in the realm of emails!

How does your email inbox look? Do you have newsletters coming to your inbox you never have time to read? I would love to hear your answers! Leave a comment below!

 

 

Barbi Green

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