Every professional is looking for ways to be more productive. Each of us has more to accomplish in less time. One of the key things which always has our attention is the Business Mailbox. All the communication flows through email and we like to keep up pace with the new tasks coming in through emails.
However, it can highly unproductive when you are focused on a task and a new email pops up on the screen. Per a study, it can up to 20 minutes to regain focus once distracted. Salespeople spend 21% of their time writing emails, an average of 13 working hours per week. Below are some of the ways to manage mailbox in an organized and effective manner:
- Deactivate email notifications from phone
During work hours especially when shuffling between team meetings, client calls or performing critical tasks, it is recommended to turn off the email notifications on phone. While notifications help you stay on top of things, it does distract you and other around you. Make it a habit to check your phone in regular interval of 2-3 hours and not every 15-20 minutes. Keep notifications on for only texts and calls to attend to only urgent issues in between work.
- Reduce noise – Copy less number of people
A lot of people copy an entire team or their immediate superiors just for information sake. This create a lot of noise in the organization and consumes time of people reading through such emails. Try to copy only those to whom information is relevant and are directly involved in actioning or influencing the information being sent.
- Organize Mailbox – Filter Emails
While serving on a role, one receives emails from different people, departments, vendors, etc. It is critical to identify to segregate those emails by creating rules in the mailbox. These rules help move emails from different people, teams etc. to designated folders, thus making it easier to focus on urgent and non-urgent tasks and keeping your inbox clean.
- Keep your emails short
While cascading information or giving directions, it is highly effective to keep the emails short and crisp. It helps the readers understand the context easily, thereby eliminating chances of miscommunication and consumes less time of readers, writers.
- Empty Inbox for better clarity
Though it seems to be impossible with the amount of information exchange, it is still an achievable feat. Read through all the emails you receive, delete unnecessary emails immediately after reading and apply rules to move regular transactional emails to designated folders. Keeping your inbox clean will help you prioritize your tasks, thereby never letting anything slip through cracks.
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