Download - Too Much Email
Too Much EmailHow to Regain Control of Your Inbox
Benjamin Mosior(@BenjaminMosior on Twitter)
Why you should care
Email exists to communicate information necessary for understanding and
decision-making
Missing email means missing information
Missing information means reduced understanding and impaired
decision-making
Your coworkers rely on you
Be deliberate about email
“I sent you an email.”
“What email?”
Merlin Mannhttp://www.43folders.com/izero
Disclaimer: Follow email policies.
Get a fresh start
Create the email DMZ
http://www.43folders.com/2006/01/04/email-dmz
Process email, don’t check email
Convert every email to action
Process to zero every time
Find your least-complicated process
Ok, an email came in. What now?
Get it out of your inbox
Is someone else a better fit for this?
Get it out of your inbox
Respond right now, even just to ask if a response is still needed.
Get it out of your inbox
Put it on your calendar!
Get it out of your inbox
Do it immediately, or use a to-do list.
Get it out of your inbox
Find your least-complicated process
You are now processing email
Process email on an interval
Cut down on interruption
Process down to zero every time
Never fall behind again
If you can’t delete it, archive it
Get it out of your inbox
If it’s important, maybe it should be documentation
Get it out of your inbox
Cheat by using templates
Minimize effort to reply
Cheat by using filters
Minimize time spent processing email
Process email, don’t check email
Convert every email to action
Process to zero every time
Be deliberate about email
Bonus Content #1: Organization
Folders, subfolders, and so on
Temptation of taxonomy
Slower email processing (organization fatigue)
Faux accessibility (dead documentation)
Use the search functionality
Subject “subject:ProjectX”
Body “body:ProjectX”
Sender “from:Ben”
Recipient “to:Ben”
Attachments “hasattachments:yes”
Bonus Content #2: Google Inbox
Bonus Content #3: Slack/HipChat
Some things are better outside of email
Questions
Merlin Mannhttp://www.43folders.com/izero