Managing Business Email
Managing the email monster
MANAGING BUSINESS EMAIL
In business we start the day with the best of intentions – knock out those priorities! Then, an ever-present little voice reminds us to check the inbox; our attention turns from focusing on results to focusing on email.
The biggest problem with email these days is that it probably features other people’s priorities. Opening it can feel a little like opening a can of worms, or even worse, Pandora’s Box. Email has the potential to consume the day, unrelated to our intended goals.
Some studies estimate that ‘content switching’ or interruptions (which emails can be) could consume as much as six hours in a work day. Jonathan Spira, author of “Overload! How Too Much Information Is Hazardous To Your Organization,” estimates that interruptions and information overload eat up 28 billion wasted hours a year, at a loss of almost $1 trillion to the U.S. economy.
Simply put, email can consume your business life. Some studies have concluded that it may take up to 25 minutes to refocus on an intended task after being interrupted. Do the math on lost time. It’s scary.
MANAGE THE EMAIL MONSTER
- Turn off the ding! That familiar ping that accompanies incoming mail says ‘pay attention to me.’ Since humans are curious, the temptation is to ‘click.’ Our little voice says: ‘It might be important.’ If it is really important, the person will call.
- If email is automatically displayed on the side of your computer screen, turn that function off. You see it even when you should be focused on something else.
- Return email in batches! Set times twice per day when you can crank out 10 replies at once. Pick times you have not assigned for focused work. Stick to it!
- When you email a person too many times per day, they pay less attention. Be completely clear the first time, or pick up the phone and talk to them instead.
- Don’t ask to be copied on everything unless it is potentially a legal matter, and don’t ask employees to keep you in the ‘loop’ on their daily stuff. Trust them to do their jobs without constant oversight. If they can’t, get new people.
- Chain emails back and forth for clarification can be irritating. If messages are misunderstood the first time, pick up the phone and speak to the person.
- Spell correctly. Use correct grammar. Not only does it look professional, you never know when emails will wind up in the newspaper or forwarded to someone you never intended.
- Leave the iPhone or Blackberry behind sometimes. You don’t need to check mail at the gym or the sandwich shop. Live life. Remember to relax sometimes.
- Remember, email is not your job. It is just a tool. If too much of your day is spent sending and responding to email, reevaluate priorities.
- Focus on results, not the inbox.
River City Consulting is just that – a consulting resource. We help businesses succeed. Contact us!
A Night for Scott
Teenage years are a critical time when young men make choices that affect the rest of their lives.
Forward Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to assisting working, single parents and their children in the Greater Richmond area who are amid a financial crisis. The Foundation serves as a gap filler for families who who are in need of support, but wouldn't qualify for assistance with the state due to earning "too high" of an income. They create opportunities for single parent families to achieve long term financial stability. Visit them at: https://forwardfoundationva.org/ L e arn More with their River City Podcast "Empowering Action"
Join The Areola Restoration Center & Goat Yoga RVA for: Goats & Gourds 2023 Help us celebrate the anniversary of the "Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998" and support Breast Cancer survivors.
Virginia Down Syndrome Association Educate. Empower. Engage. Virginia Down Syndrome Association provides support to individuals with Down syndrome and their families, serving the entire family across the entire lifespan. Their services include individual and family support, peer mentorship programs, social programs for individuals with Down syndrome and siblings, support group meetings for caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome, educational programs for individuals with Down syndrome, parents and caregivers, and educators throughout the community, community awareness events, and advocacy.
Are you looking for ways to increase your company's morale, productivity, and general employee wellness? Branding isn't just about logos, it's about comfortable working environments and the impression you make when people enter your office space. Feng Shui may be your answer. Colors, furniture, plant life and other elements produce energy that produces results. Learn more here.
ACTIVELY ENROLLING! CALL MARIA WASHINGTON AT 270-7502 The founders of Coal Pit Learning Center believed that providing low income children with essential social, emotional, and academic skills would give them the confidence and capabilities needed to excel in school, thus enabling them ultimately to enter the work force competitively and to escape from or avoid the cycle of poverty. The central focus of the Coal Pit program is building a positive concept of self in each and every child, based upon the children’s actual achievements in the program. Increased self-control and a positive approach toward learning demonstrate the children’s improved attitude toward life in general as they progress through the program. Exposing these children to a nurturing environment at such an early age has a profound impact. The children’s successes at Coal Pit carry over into kindergarten, elementary school, and even further into higher education. The lessons they learn in those years teach them the things they need to live better, more fulfilled lives in adulthood. However, Coal Pit takes one more step: reaching out to the parents. Coal Pit teaches parenting skills and life lessons to whole families. Visit Coal Pit Learning Center here
If you, or someone you know, has lost a child...
We introduce you to Kids on First Foundation
Effective Marketing using a QR code
BUSINESS HOURS
- Mon - Fri
- -
- Sat - Sun
- Closed
Copyright © 2024 River City Consulting. All Rights Reserved. Branding, Advertising and Graphic Design for Small Business, Nonprofits and White Label Digital Agencies