In business, email is often the primary form of communication. It can be used to communicate with colleagues, customers, and other businesses.
Because of this, it is important to be able to use email effectively to improve productivity.
Today, we are discussing tips for improving your email productivity.
We’ve all been there when we realize we have many unread emails in our inboxes.
Or when we send off a hasty reply and then immediately regret it. If your email inbox constantly gives you anxiety, it’s time to change.
Luckily, there are several easy ways to improve your email productivity and ensure you’re making the most of your time.
Read also: 10 Email Marketing Tips To Grow Your Business.
What does ’email productivity’ mean?
Email productivity can be defined as a measure of how efficiently someone uses email to complete tasks and goals. This can be done by reducing the time spent checking and replying to messages or by automating certain processes so that less time is needed to manage email overall.
For example, some people may choose to use an email filtering system to automatically sort messages into different folders, or set up rules to automatically reply to certain types of messages.
Others might use productivity tools like Boomerang or Inbox Pause to help them take control of their inboxes.
And by taking steps like these, people can free up more time in their day to focus on other tasks and become more productive overall.
5 reasons why email productivity, especially in business, is important
We’ve defined email productivity as the art of getting things done efficiently. But why would that be a priority?
a). Time is money
The faster you can get through your emails, the more time you have for other tasks.
As an entrepreneur, time is one of your most valuable commodities. You have a lot on your plate, and every minute counts.
b). Fewer distractions
When you’re able to get through your emails quickly, it reduces the chances of getting sidetracked by other tasks.
You can stay focused on what’s important and not waste time on things that can wait.
c). Improved communication
When you manage your email efficiently, it helps improve communication with clients and customers.
If they know you’ll respond quickly, they will likely reach out with questions or concerns. This could lead to better customer service and happier customers overall.
d). Better organization
Getting through your email means having a cleaner inbox, making it easier to find specific messages when needed. This is especially helpful if you receive a lot of emails each day.
e). Increased productivity
Being efficient in one area of your business (like email) can often lead to increased productivity in other areas. You can get more done overall when you have more time and fewer distractions.
How to manage your inbox
1). Create folders for different types of emails.
Remember how you’d have a filing cabinet in your office? Bring that concept to your emails.
By creating folders for different types of emails, you can easily find the email you’re looking for without having to search through your entire inbox. This can save you time and frustration when trying to find a specific email.
There are a few different ways to create folders for your emails.
One method is to create a folder for each type of email you receive. For example, you might have a folder for work emails, personal emails, and bills/receipts.
Another method is to create folders based on who the email is from. For example, you might have a folder for all emails from your boss or one for all emails from your friends.
Whatever method you choose, be sure to label your folders in a way that makes sense to you.
2). Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails.
Yes, we all know email is a necessary part of modern communication, but it can also be a huge time suck.
If you constantly check your inbox to find nothing but spam, it is time to do some housekeeping and unsubscribe from unnecessary emails.
Not only will this declutter your inbox, but it will also save you time in the long run. You won’t have to wade through irrelevant messages to find the actually important ones.
So take a few minutes and go through your subscription list. Unsubscribe from anything that you don’t need or want.
Your future self will thank you!
3). Set up filters to automatically sort emails.
Email filters can be a godsend for anyone trying to improve their email productivity. These awesome tools automatically sort emails into different categories.
They can help you keep your inbox organized and make it easier to find the messages you need.
There are a few different ways you can set up email filters.
For example, you could create a filter that automatically sorts messages from your boss into a separate folder. Or you could set up a filter to send all messages with attachments to a specific folder.
Whatever way you choose to use them, email filters can be a helpful tool for keeping your inbox organized and making sure you don’t miss any important messages.
And the better part?
They work behind the scenes. It is a set-and-forget kind of thing.
4). Create a system for dealing with emails as they come in.
If you spend hours daily managing your emails, it may be time to create a system for dealing with them as you receive them.
One way to deal with emails is to set aside specific times throughout the day to check and respond to them. This can help you avoid getting sidetracked by email notifications and spending too much time on your inbox.
Another strategy is to prioritize which emails need your attention first. This may mean responding to time-sensitive messages right away and setting aside other emails to deal with later.
Having a plan for handling your emails can help keep you productive and prevent you from getting overwhelmed.
And by the way, creating a system for dealing with your emails doesn’t have to be complicated. Just taking a few minutes to think about how you want to handle them can make a big difference in your productivity.
5). Delete old and unimportant emails.
Why are you stacking old emails? Are you keeping records, or are they just eating your storage space?
Assuming you are using Gmail, here are a few tips on how to delete old and unimportant emails to help keep you productive:
First, enable the “Important” tag. This will automatically prioritize emails that Gmail believes to be important, based on factors like who the email is from and whether you’ve replied to similar messages in the past.
To do this, click the gear icon in the top right corner of your inbox and select “Settings.” Then, under the “Inbox” tab, select “Importance markers.” Choose “Yes” next to “Show importance markers.”
Next, take advantage of Gmail’s filtering capabilities by creating a filter for unimportant emails.
To do this, click the down arrow next to the search bar and select “Create filter. Then type in “is: important” into the search box.
Next, select all emails with importance markers and click on the “More actions” drop-down menu.
In this menu, select “Never send important mail to Spam. From here, choose “Create filter with this search.”
Repeat the process for unimportant emails.
6). Keep your inbox clean regularly.
If you’re like most people, your inbox is probably a cluttered mess. Thankfully, you can do a few simple things to keep it clean and organized.
First, make it a habit to check your inbox regularly and delete any old or unnecessary emails (see point #5). This will help prevent your inbox from getting too cluttered in the first place.
Second, set up some filters so that certain types of emails (like promotional messages) go directly into a separate folder (see point #3). That way, you can quickly scan and delete them all at once if necessary.
Finally, take the time to unsubscribe from any email lists you’re no longer interested in. This will help reduce the number of unwanted emails you receive daily.
7). Be stingy about your email address
When it comes to your email address, be stingy. What does this mean? Only give your email address to people and businesses that you trust. This will help to keep your inbox clean and organized and prevent you from getting bombarded with spam emails.
You can even use tools like TempMail to create temporary email addresses that you can use for online forms and other situations where you need to give out an email address but don’t want to use your primary one.
TempMail is also helpful for site registrations. The address you use to sign up for websites must be verified, so it’s only practical to use your TempMail address for such activities. TempMail automatically sends you a verification email to that address associated, so it is a simple and painless means to verify that address and keep your primary email safe.
8). Use templates
One method you can try is templates if you’re looking for ways to improve your email productivity.
In fact, email templates can be handy for cold emailing since they can help you save time by having a pre-written message that you can customize for each recipient.
First, identify the most common types of emails you send to get started.
For example, if you frequently send messages to clients or customers, you might want to create a template for each type of message. Once you’ve created your templates, make sure to save them in a place where you can easily access them when needed.
Whenever you need to send an email, simply open up the appropriate template and make any necessary changes or additions. Then, hit send and move on to your next task!
And if you are using Gmail to manage your inbox, here are some steps you can follow to create a template:
- Click on Settings in the top right corner
- Go to See all settings
- Navigate to the Advanced tab
- Click on Enable in front of the Templates section
- Click on Save Changes
- Click on compose and write down the text you’d like to save as a template
- Click on the three dots in the bottom right corner
- Go to Templates > Save draft as template > Save as new template
- Give your template a name that helps you identify it easily
Steps to using a template in Gmail include:
- Click on compose
- Click on the three dots on the bottom right
- Go to Templates and find the template you saved earlier — it will be labeled with the name you gave it while creating it
9). Use a signature
Signatures can help improve not only your email productivity but in addition their appeal. Your emails will seem more professional and thus make your recipient know you well even beyond email.
You need an email signature if you are involved in outreach and marketing.
10). Use Mailtrack to know when your emails are read
Email productivity can be challenging, and one way to measure if your emails are being read is to use Mailtrack.
Mailtrack is a Google Chrome extension that lets you see when your emails have been opened and how many times they’ve been read. This can help you know whether or not your email was received and if it’s being read.
To use Mailtrack, simply install the extension in Google Chrome. Once installed, you’ll need to create a free account with your email address.
After your account is created, you can start tracking your emails.
To track an email, click the ‘Track’ button next to Gmail’s ‘Send’ button. The tracked email will then be sent as usual, and you’ll receive a notification when it’s been opened.
Read also: 8 Types Of Emails Guaranteed To Be Opened.
11). Use the Grammarly Google Chrome extension
Grammarly has a free Google Chrome extension to help improve your email productivity. The extension will check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation as you type. It can also help with sentence structure and style.
If you tend to make many mistakes when you write emails, Grammarly can be a great way to help improve your productivity. The extension can catch errors that you may not have noticed, and it can also help suggest better ways to phrase things.
While Grammarly is not perfect, it can be a helpful tool for anyone who wants to improve their email writing skills.
How to use email effectively and ensure it serves its purpose
a). Write short, concise emails
Get to the point quickly and avoid writing lengthy, rambling emails. Be clear and concise in your communication so the recipient can easily understand your message.
b). Use proper grammar and spelling
Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your emails. This will help ensure your message is clear and easy to understand.
c). Keep the subject line brief and informative
The subject line of an email should be brief (less than 50 characters) and give a general idea of what the email is about. Avoid using vague or generic subject lines such as “Question” or “Follow-up.”
d). Use bullet points when possible
Use bulleted lists when possible to make it easier for the recipient to scan through your email quickly. This will also help break up large blocks of text to be more easily readable.
e). Personalize your emails
Personalize your emails by including the recipient’s name in the email’s subject line and/or body. This will help to make your message more personal and less generic.
Conclusion
Email productivity can be tricky.
It’s too easy to get bogged down in a never-ending cycle of managing an inbox full of messages. However, some simple techniques can help you take control of your email and boost your productivity.
Here are a few key tips:
First, unsubscribe from newsletters or other email lists you don’t need. This will help declutter your inbox and make it easier to focus on the important messages.
Next, make use of filters and folders to help organize your email. This way, you can quickly sort through messages and put them in the appropriate place. Doing this will save you time in the long run when you need to find a specific message.
Finally, try to set aside time daily to focus solely on email. This is important because you can often get bogged down by messages that need immediate attention.
Instead, set a specific time for dealing with email and stick to it. This way, you’ll be able to stay on track and get things done.
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