Writing Effective E-mail and Managing E-mail

Managing the Ever Growing Email Elephant

• Put the most important information first.
• Use bullets for the body of the email.
• Turn off email beep.
• Schedule work time for email on your calendar.
• Think before you print. It will be one more piece of paper to deal with.
• Don’t send FYI – remember the receivers may have 100 emails in their inbox.
• NRN – No reply necessary
• NTN – No thanks necessary
• Limit CC and distribution lists you send and are on.
• Remember for every 5 emails you send you receive 3 back.
• Be clear in subject line – makes it easy to file and find later.
• Only put one main topic per email so others can file and find.
• Begin subject line with a prefix: Action, Information, Request, Confirmed, or Delivered.
• When putting a greeting – make it 8 words or less.

Be realistic regarding time needed to put on your calendar for email. Email is no longer quick work!