Managing email

It seems most people are capable of launching an email application and do understand most of the technical skills required to use the application. It does however also seem that a fairly large part of the same people lack the social intelligence and skills required to make efficient use of their email capabilities. Scanning through my inbox I saw a fair and typical number of examples in the ”bad email usage” category. These include:

• No subject
• No message body
• Misleading or irrelevant subjects
• Wrong priority flagging (hint: who took my pencil is not “high priority”)
• Too many CC son emails ”just in case”.
• Endless ”Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:”
• Signatures twice the length of the message (including subject)
• Hastily written mails without a point
• Mails with forgotten attachments

And the list goes on.

If you’re sending an email do spend a few seconds and consider why you’re sending the mail – don’t just do it because you can. While the ”visible costs” (paper, stamps, etc.) may be close to zero on emails, the costs accumulated on senseless emailing everyone just in case are mind-boggling.

If you need some tips on mastering email, see these excellent email tips – and remember them next time you’re sending an email so someone.