Emails - a blessing or a curse?  Is your business time squandered by instantly reading and responding to emails, or do you postpone action and store up trouble for yourself?  Glancing at subject headings in the "I'll deal with that later" mode leads to an overloaded inbox with crucial emails buried.
 
Haphazard handling of inboxes can consume working days in a Catch 22 way, and waste hundreds of hours over a year. This month is about tackling bad habits and getting to grips with effective email management.

Avoid Compulsive and Impulsive Actions

Becoming addicted to your inbox is easy.  Constantly checking your inbox, either looking for new messages or responses to your own emails, fritters away precious time and can become a compulsive habit.  Don't do it.  
 
If your email program has a notification flash or noise announcing new mail, fight the temptation to check your inbox. Impulsive distractions like this disrupt work and can break your train of thought.  Instinctively you will also scan previously read emails as if they have changed. Unless your primary function is email responding, shut down your email client/program.

Email Managment

Instead of random email scanning, set aside a specific time each day to work on your inbox. Devoting 30 or 60 minutes of uninterrupted time should be sufficient, and beneficial. Read all emails before answering them.  This will stop you missing updated messages and replying too soon.

Housekeeping

Use your email client/program to your benefit.  A chronological date setting for email receipt is common but reverse date order can be better. Start at the top and do not move onto the next email until you have handled the first.  Create subject folders and sub folders to manage your emails efficiently, and to track progress quickly on different issues. 

Processing Mail

AGUK endorses the 4Ds system and recommends using it like a mantra:

• Delete
  Be decisive and use your delete button. If an email contains information that is not immediately useful, and will have no use within the next six months, delete it.
• Do
  If you can do what the email requires within two minutes, do it.  It's as simple as that.
• Delegate
  Can you delegate action required by the email?  It takes minutes to read and forward an email so delegate instantly.
• Defer
  If you have to defer action, don't forget it. Create a task or calendar reminder detailing what is needed by when. Most email clients/programs allow you to generate a task from an email with a couple of clicks. Once you have generated the task and added it to your task list, delete the email.

Information Only Emails

A large percentage of emails are information only. Their content value can be classified in one of two ways: Delete or File. Before you file, think - "Do I really need this?"  Filing emails should be done only where necessary.

Empty Inbox

An empty inbox is a realistic goal. It comes with practice and good housekeeping. If your inbox is already bursting don't overburden yourself clearing it in one session. Stick to an hour a day and watch it shrink.