Email: Managing
Efficiency with Etiquette
Alan Cafferkey
Director of Faculty Technology Services
[email protected]
Somewhere along the line, Email became stressful...
http://inboxzero.tumblr.com/post/201567052
http://inboxzero.tumblr.com/post/206689852
http://inboxzero.tumblr.com/post/206752570/lizard-brain-says-make-sure-itgets-done-by
How do you handle your E-mail?
(if at all?)
I will maintain the “Touch it once” principle for efficiency
vs
Your E-mail is a to-do list someone else is making for you
How are you approaching your
E-mail?
● Is your “job” to E-mail people? Is it a task within your
responsibilities?
● E-mail is a tool.
● Stop thinking about Time Management and think more
about Attention Management
Don’t Stress
Don’t obsess. How do you need to approach Email?
● How do you define “work/life balance”?
● Do you need to have the notifications enabled on your
smartphone?
“Inbox Zero”
● “View your email inbox as a temporary holding place
where you need to start processing emails.”
Stop the cycle: Do you need to
send that E-mail?
● Instantaneous communication vs Send and wait
communication
● Instead of sending an E-mail would it be better to:
○ Text Message
○ Instant Message
○ Phone
○ Office visit
● Do you really need to CC that person?
First Step - Stop Bad Habits
● Stop using your Email for things other than it was
intended to
To Do Lists?
● Stop cluttering your inbox with E-mails to remind
yourself
○ Use a To Do List
■ I use SimpleTask - http://download.cnet.
com/SimpleTask/3000-18509_4-10914348.html
File Storage?
● Stop using E-mails to store files
○ Use A Cloud Drive
i. I use Google Drive; Many like Dropbox
Collaborating?
● Stop sending one document around trying to get
multiple people to edit it (e.g. status reports, etc.)
○ Use Google Docs
Finding a Meeting Time?
● Stop asking people when they’re free for a meeting
○ Use a poll or a calendar
■ I use Google Calendar or Doodle Poll
Multiple Updates?
● Stop using your E-mail for status report updates to
multiple people
○ These things should be in a record, like a Blog or
Wiki
■ Blogs: Word Press, Blogger, Google Sites
■ Wiki: Wikispaces
Step Two: Establish a routine
●
Pick times to respond (11 and 4? 9 and 12? Up to you)
○ Problems with doing it first...
○ Problems with doing it too late…
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Just choose what works for you
Whatever time you do it, though, don’t just read your E-mail, process it.
If you don’t want to, you’re probably wasting your time at that particular
time.
Step Three: Get Organized
●
●
“You have HOW many E-mails in your inbox?”
Use filters, folders and/or labels. Many options:
○ Have a filter for anything with the word “unsubscribe” in it
○ Have 3 main folders: Reply Later (for emails that will take more than a
few minutes to respond to), Waiting (for emails where you are waiting
on some information or another response before you can respond to),
Archive (for when you’ve responded)
●
You don’t have to start this with what’s already in your inbox. If it helps,
tell yourself this is what you’re doing going forward
Some of my recommended Etiquette
● Reply with History
● Keep it short for your sake and for theirs: “Brevity
wins friends”
● If you want one person to do something ask one person
● Don’t CC the world
Etiquette Continued...
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●
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Acknowledge receipt…
...avoid Read Receipt
(but don’t complain if you’ve put someone in the situation of having to use
it)
Try not to treat your E-mail as a venue for negotiation
Establish boundaries - Emergencies notwithstanding (although, open to
interpretation) avoid E-mailing people on the weekend or after work
Basics
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Don’t try to be humourous
Nothing good is likely to come from an angry email
Don’t overuse exclamation points
Use a proper subject line
Formal vs Informal? Don’t write like you IMing
Thanks!
Questions?