E-mail Wrangling

Source Newsletter for Trustees Header Image
Source Newsletter for Trustees Header Image

Board of Trustees//

September 21, 2011

The sheer volume of electronic messages arriving in computer in-boxes, cell phones, and hand-held devices can leave school administrators and Board members feeling overwhelmed. Here are some easy tips to help you control e-mails, save time, and increase your productivity.

  • Don’t check e-mail when you first start work. Experts say you should address an important task-at-hand before checking e-mail. This way, you don’t use e-mail as an excuse for postponing more pressing obligations.
  • Check your e-mail in batches rather than constantly throughout the day. Some experts suggest checking e-mail twice a day; others, up to five times. The important goal is efficiency.
  • Limit sending e-mail. Sending less means receiving less. Succinct messages generally garner shorter responses; keep it simple, not chatty.
  • Delete your entire in-box. Save your most important communications in appropriate folders, and then get rid of the rest.
  • Use other forms of communication. E-mail is often the standard communication in the workplace, but in some cases it’s not the most appropriate or efficient. Pick up the phone if an e-mail thread goes beyond three back and forths.
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