Improving Effectiveness

on the Road  to

Overcoming Overload

Thoughts and Tips on

Overcoming E-Mail Overload

  • E-mail is a very efficient communication tool. Why has it become a disliked counter-productive part of our culture?

  • How do you overcome e-mail overload?

  

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Why People Email

So Badly and How

to Do It Better

  by

 Shipley and Schwalbe

ISBN:  978-0-307-27060-3

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E-mail is an imperfect system. If you have missed our September and October e-letters, please accept our apology. For this purpose we provide our Archive.

Thoughts

Eve * invited me to discuss her overload problem. As I sat across from her desk I frequently heard a familiar ring tone. With every ring Eve would glance at her notebook monitor.

“Eve,” I asked, “Why do you keep your e-mail notifier on?”

 “Well,” she replied, “I look at it in case someone sends me an urgent message.”

“Then, what do you do?” I asked.

“I often leave it till the evening. I do most of my e-mail after I put the kids to bed. My husband hates this.”

During our 55 minute visit Eve received 11 interrupting and distracting ring tones. Based on this, I estimate that she receives about 100 e-mails a day. While e-mail may be a very efficient communication tool, In the urgency driven culture created by this technology, e-mail is by far the least effective. The negative impact of e-mail misuse is seen in miscommunication, distractions, reduced productivity, and even legal liability.

 

*While the names and titles are changed. The experience is based on participants in our Overcoming Overload Workshop.

Tips

 

E-mail is a two edged sword. If e-mail is contributing to your overloaded world please consider the following tips:

·         Define your personal e-mail protocol or policy. Whether corporate or personal, the objective of an e-mail protocol or policy is to enhance effective communication, set reasonable expectations, and direct professional behavior. As you define your e-mail policy make sure your important people know and support your e-mail protocol.

·         Develop a simple clutter free easy to use e-mail filing system.

·         Batch process your e-mail. Based on reasonable responsiveness expectations decide  put in your calendar regular daily e-mail batch processing time. Batch processing uses less time and mental energy.

·          Plan an average of 3 minutes for each e-mail you need to answer. Avoiding interruptions and distractions created by the e-mail notifiers by closing your e-mail system until your next batch processing time.

·         For each e-mail use the following simple process:

  1. Read

  2. Think

  3. Respond (if needed)

  4. Delete or file if you must.

·         Commit to the OHIO principle. Only Handle It Once.  This can be done using the 4 D process :

  • Delete it NOW. This applies to most of the e-mail you receive. You do not need to respond to it or keep it.

  •  Delegate it NOW. If someone else should be dealing with this topic forward it NOW.

  •  Deal with it NOW. If this e-mail will require 3 to 5 minutes to deal with, act on it NOW. Apply the “Read, Think, Respond, File” process.

  •  Diarize it NOW. If the e-mail requires more thinking or processing time, drag it to your calendar which will open to set a personal appointment to deal with it.

·         Whether your organization has an e-mail policy or not, you are personally responsible and could be legally liable for what you send out. Take extra care using this simple process,

  1. Think, what is the objective

  2. Type, what do I want to say

  3. Read, How does it sound (tone)

  4. Review, Is it simple and clear

  5. Send, let it go (Follow up with voice mail if needed.)

·         Avoid the e-mail urgency culture. Gain support for your e-mail policy, make sure that those who need your immediate attention can phone you or come to see you.

 Do you wish to get less e-mail? Avoid sending e-mail.

 

Note:

* These thoughts and tips are complimentary to you.

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