Tips for More Effective Use of Email

NAWBO Newsletter
Spring 2005

Organizing email and computer files is one of the biggest challenges busy professionals face these days. Frequently, the email InBox is used as a file storage area or a "to-do" list. If your email InBox or Sent Mail is overflowing, or your computer files are in no particular order, it is hard to find what you need when you need it. It is important to turn the InBox back into a tool meant for receiving emails, not storing them. Try to treat your email InBox like a voice mail box. Keep it empty or as close to empty as possible so that items are noted, sorted or handled as they appear.

Many times a client will keep emails in the InBox because they are not sure how they will use this information. Asking "How and when will I use this information?" can help you decide how or where to file away this reference material. It's the same with the physical paper. Be ruthless and make decision as soon as possible regarding each email that comes in. If you don't, your email will grow.

All emails and email attachments that must be kept for future use are considered reference and should be transferred out of email over to computer folders or email folders if there is no risk of running out of space in email. These reference documents should be filed in much the same way as you file your hard copies in a file cabinet, using similar categories for ease of use and consistency. Be as specific as possible when naming your files so you know what they are without opening them.

Emails that must be acted upon can be transferred to new files created called "Open" or "Active" in email. Any documents that have already been acted upon and are waiting for a reply from the other party are considered pending and can be transferred to a new "Pending" folder set up in your email folders list. Also considered pending are emails in the "Sent Mail" file. Some of these emails were requests to other people for action or answers and, if you wish to follow up, these emails can be transferred to the "Pending" folder for your follow up at a later date.

When decisions are made immediately regarding the purpose or next steps of an email, they can be sorted and processed in quicker fashion. This way your email InBox will truly be the tool it was meant to be — an "in-box" — and not the catch all for every email you've ever received.