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Dawn Bjork Buzbee
The Software Pro®
Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
Certified Microsoft Office 2010 Specialist (MOS 2010) Master Instructor
Certified Microsoft Office 2007 Specialist (MOS 2007) Master Instructor
Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) Instructor
Certified Microsoft Office Expert
Certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE)
(303) 699-6868
Dawn@SoftwarePro.com
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Microsoft research indicates the average Outlook user reads 1800 e-mails & deletes an average of 1500 e-mails per month. Other sources cite that many corporate e-mail users handle more than 200 messages a day. How do you manage this volume of messages without coming down with E-MAIL OCD, that is, the temptation to constantly check your e-mail? Microsoft Outlook is a tool to help you manage not only your e-mail but also your calendar, contacts, and tasks. As such, it is at the center of not only your communications but also your time management. To get the most out of Outlook for handling your incoming e-mail, let’s look at some basic principles.
(Note: although some of the features mentioned are specific to Outlook, most of these ideas can help you manage your e-mail and time regardless of the e-mail program you use). Establish a RoutineEvery time you move away from your work to check e-mail, you lose focus and productivity. When should you check e-mail? There are a variety of viewpoints, although most time management and productivity experts agree that one of the keys is to have a schedule or plan on how and when you handle your e-mail. One approach is to check your messages first thing in the morning, sometime around lunch, and then near the end of your work day. Some people shut down Outlook during the other periods in their day just to avoid the temptation. You may find that a different strategy works better for you. Most important is to set a routine you can follow through on so incoming e-mail stops being a big distraction and energy drain. Tame Your Inbox with the Four DsWhen reading your e-mail, decide whether to: - Delete it. If it isn’t important, delete it immediately.
- Do it (respond, file, call, etc.). If it can be done in two minutes or less, do it.
- Delegate it (forward). If it isn’t for you or if you can, delegate (forward) it.
- Defer it (using color categories and flags) for a second review in your task list. If you need to do it, but it takes longer than two minutes (including reading) defer or hold off on it.
Choose Your ResponseHas this ever happened to you—you get a phone call from someone asking if you received the e-mail they just sent out 15 minutes ago? Apparently, they are waiting impatiently in front of their computer expecting you to respond immediately regardless of what you may be doing at the time. Maybe they should have just called you at the start! Still, some messages may require a quick response even if you have limited time while others can wait. - Acknowledge messages that require a more extensive response. If you are too busy to respond with a full answer right away, let the sender know you are looking into the issue and will respond by a certain time or date. Flag the message to do later.
- Disable automatic alerts. Turn off automatic sounds and visual alerts so you are not so easily pulled back into your Inbox every time a new message arrives. Unless you are working with some critical deadlines requiring e-mail communication or are pressed to respond ASAP, stick with your chosen schedule for checking and responding to your messages.
Eliminate the Clutter in Your InboxIn addition to initiating fewer e-mail messages, look at other ways to reduce the messages in your Inbox: - Publish frequently requested information on your company website and make sure the website is quickly updated when changes occur.
- When you are sending out informational messages that do not require feedback, discourage unnecessary responses by using formal language and begin and end messages with No Reply Needed or FYI Only.
- Unsubscribe to electronic newsletters you don’t read and move others out of your Inbox to folders for reading during travel or other down times. Don’t unsubscribe to mailings you never initiated or you may further open the flow of junk mail.
- If you are running Outlook on Microsoft Exchange, setup the Out of Office Assistant to respond to incoming messages when you are not available to answer your e-mail. Clearly state your response time, when you will return, and who can be contacted during your absence.
Apply these best practices and other time management strategies to free you up from your Inbox. This article is an excerpt from my Outlook 2007 Tips, Tricks & Techniques book.
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© Dawn Bjork Buzbee, MCT, The Software Pro®
Dawn Bjork Buzbee
is The Software Pro®
and a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT) as well as a certified Microsoft Office
Specialist (MOS) Master Instructor, certified Microsoft Applications Specialist
(MCAS) Instructor, and a certified Microsoft Office expert. Dawn shares smart
and easy ways to effectively use software through her work as a software
speaker, trainer, consultant, and author of 6 books.
This article and
more can be reprinted at no charge in your publications and website with
copyright and attribution.
>>Learn
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Tips, Tricks, Secrets
that you need to know now!
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Press [F7] to check spelling in an Outlook message or other item.
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The Ribbon was first introduced with Microsoft Outlook 2007 and fully available in all areas of Outlook with Outlook 2010.
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