tips in organizing emails – Phoenix Website Design

Emails and real life conversations are two different worlds. One common practice in real life might not be necessary on emails. What should you do regarding emails? What is the proper approach? Here is a list of tips for you in order to construct that reply, and write that much needed email.

The general rule is you have to reply no matter what. Communication is key. You just have to click that reply button and acknowledge that you have received the email. If you are given an urgent task, reply to the sender that you got the email and start working on it. If you cannot do it within the day, explain on why that is the case and give a time estimate on when you will be able to complete the given task.
Prioritize the emails with action items. Before you go on acknowledging all the emails you got. Reply first to the emails that needs your immediate attention (e.g. you have to send a document file, confirm a meeting by giving out the restaurant reservation details, and so on.)
Yes, you have to acknowledge an email. Read first the contents because there might be exceptions to the rule. 1) The sender might have included an NTN (or No Thanks Needed!) Obviously, it means that you do not have to reply. 2) You are just on the CC line. That is why you have to read carefully. Only the people on the TO line will do this specific task unless, of course, if someone specifically asks you to join and help. When you are included on the CC line, this is just to keep you informed.
Attach the attachments. Sometimes, you are in a hurry to reply and send your email that you forgot that the attachment is still uploading. Make sure that the file you are attaching is actually included in the email you are sending. Do not forget to check if the attachments are 100% complete and that no file failed in the process.
Be clear with your answers. Yes, you should be concise with your replies, but you also have to be direct. Replying ‘Yes’ to a question is not enough. Repeat the questions you are answering (e.g. ‘Yes, the blue roses are great.’ or ‘Yes, we prefer the blue ones.’)
Make use of the subject line. The subject line is often neglected when in fact, it provides a summary of the email. Is the email for information purposes only or is it regarding a scheduling request? Be specific when writing a subject line (e.g. For Approval: Budget for August 2017, or FYI: New ID System.)

At the end of the day, it all depends on your work environment. These are just general guidelines to help you manage your emails. Every rule has exceptions of course! Some business keep their emails strictly for important matters and thank you emails are no-no. Some are encouraged to converse and chat. If you need more tips on online etiquette, you can check out this article.

How to organize emails?

Cleaning emails are a tricky thing. Sometimes, you cannot decide which emails to delete. You end up ignoring the huge pile of emails that may (or may not) need urgent attention. These tips will help you organize your perpetually growing number of email messages.

Turn off email notifications
Turn off work email notifications in your home computer. Turn off personal email notifications in your work computer. There is time for everything. Know your priorities at the moment. You do not have to constantly check all your email accounts. Personal emails will keep you from doing whatever you are supposed to be doing. When it is time to work, turn on work email notifications only.
Unsubscribe from newsletters
It is time to say goodbye to junk emails. You do not need those emails occupying most of your mailbox space. You probably do not need them anyway. Most of those newsletters are from the websites you signed up and shopped at. Click that ‘unsubscribe’ button and just delete all those junk.
Schedule specific times to check and respond
The technique is to reply to messages immediately . If you cannot, you have to schedule when you will respond to them. You can check your emails first thing in the morning, or before you go on a lunch break. It really depends on your available time. If the emails need more effort, move it to your task list of the day. Decide what to do and carry out those first. You need to respond thoroughly to these emails.
Categorize emails using folders and labels
Those folders and labels are there for a reason so use them. It is your virtual file cabinet. Folders and labels are effective tools to rearrange your messy emails. You can search your emails efficiently if you categorize them. It will save you time. Move all email messages that relates to your work into a custom folder. Label if the emails have attachments, if they need your immediate attention, or if they are important. Lastly, if the emails are not that important, learn to delete them.
Use keyboard shortcuts
Clicking your mouse is overrated. You need to use your keyboard more often. It is faster than using a mouse button. You do not need to memorize all the shortcuts. At least, try to familiarize some of the important ones. If you wish to view all Gmail keyboard shortcuts, you can visit this link or you can download this Gmail cheat sheet.
Set up separate email accounts
If you still cannot organize emails and you still see a lot of clutter, maybe you need more than one email. Work email is strictly for work. This is the email address you give to a company or when applying for a job, or when sending business proposal. Personal email is for people you know. All your family and friends can email you on this account. Finally, junk email is for all those subscriptions and newsletters. Put all your social media notifications here. You do not have to check them anyway. Most of them are for promotional purposes only.

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