Organizing Your E-Mail

By Jackie Damrau, Contributing Editor

Organization comes easier to some than to others. For me, organization is the key to everything that I do. My organization involves:

Folders or binders containing each of my projects based on project size
Day planner with task list identifying my priority projects for the day
File drawers organized to accommodate my working structure
Electronic organization of my files and e-mail

Okay, you may be wondering about this organization method. All I can say is that desktop clutter is not a friend of mine. I need a clear working space to know what I have and what I'm lacking. Yes, at times, you can come by my office and see items strewn over my desk. But, I know exactly what they are and how they are helping in writing that user's manual, training class, or newsletter article.

E-mail organization is one area where many people tend to fall behind. Here are 13 useful tips taken from an article that appeared in Training magazine in April 2004 called "E-Mail Madness." These tips came from a 2003 book, Managing Your E-Mail: Thinking Outside the Inbox, written by Christina Cavanagh. In each case, Cavanaugh's tip, in bold, is followed by my own response.

Scan first, read second. The first thing every morning when I get to work, I open my e-mail application. Before I even begin reading and responding, I scan the subject lines to quickly weed out the obvious spam mail. Then, I start with the items that require a response, and end with items that require no response.
Learn to delete without reading. Deleting without reading is especially important for the spam-type e-mail. Viruses can be attached to these e-mails. I err on the side of caution here also when looking at the sender (the From person) and subject line. If your name is not familiar to me and the subject of your e-mail makes no sense to me (either something you need from me or that I requested), I delete that e-mail. If it's important for you to get a response from me, you'll use effective subject lines or spend a few dimes to call me and introduce yourself.

Cavanaugh suggests that you create a "Read Later" folder and drag items to it. I actually use this technique for the many e-zines that I subscribe to. I have three such folders—Ezines, STC IDL SIG Inbox, and STC LSC Inbox—where I have created Outlook rules to automatically redirect the e-mails from my Inbox based on address and sender to the appropriate folder. This way it is not taking up valuable space in my Inbox, and I can read it when I want.
Group by type. I use Outlook's Categories feature to categorize the remaining items in my Inbox, like Active Projects, Team Action Items, and Personal to keep things in my active line of sight. The Active Projects category contains e-mails where I promised to deliver something so that I don't forget and can easily respond back to the one who asked me for help. The Team Action Items folder holds any team-related deliverables that I have committed to. The Personal folder is for personal information such as when Accounts Payable notifies me that my expense reimbursement has been received and will be paid, as well as personal reminders to myself of actions that require my attention.
Prioritize. Decide when to answer your e-mail and how often.
Stop the madness. Depending on the amount of e-mail you receive, you may want to ask friends and co-workers to send humor e-mail to your personal e-mail account instead of your corporate account. Many employers frown upon using their e-mail for personal contact or for humor. Also, be careful when removing yourself from unwanted e-mail lists. By clicking on the "If you want to be removed from this, click here." link, you are telling the spammer that this address is legitimate, so they continue sending you junk. I use another Outlook feature, called Junk E-mail > Block Sender. As I'm doing Step One, I mark all the spam-like e-mail as Unread without opening it and then select Junk E-mail > Block Sender to identify that e-mail address as one that I don't want to see. I have an additional setting that permanently deletes these items so that I never have to see them at all.
Is phoning better? Sometimes. E-mail is a great communication escape when you don't want to face someone in person. Yet, it does no favors for you when your e-mail is misinterpreted. Picking up the phone and talking with the person is a more clear communication vehicle.
Get off CC lists. See Step 5 above.
Less is more. Respond only when necessary. If you receive a carbon copy of an e-mail, this does not mean that you must respond. You are being given informational rights only. On all other e-mail, weigh the importance of needing to respond. If you need to clarify a misconception or set direction in a different way, then respond. Otherwise, consider the "silence is golden" rule and move on.
Be a role model e-mailer. Role models have a different connotation today. In the communication, however, you can set the example by using effective subject lines that are clear and concise, keeping paragraphs short, and sending only to those who need to know.
Avoid the reply-to-all feature. The "Reply All" button carries its own stigma. It can make you look foolish when you really didn't want to. Be careful when using this feature that what you are saying accurately represents what you want said. Remember, "eating one's words" can live with you for a long time in the future.
E is for easy and efficient. Say what you need to say as quickly as you can. Relate the situation, ask for assistance or clarification, and end the e-mail. Avoid fluffing your e-mail with unnecessary explanations.
E is not for emotional. As with the "Reply All" feature, sending an e-mail when emotionally under stress can also cause the "eating one's words" stigma to follow you. The best e-mail technique is to write the scathing e-mail BUT put your own name in the 'To' field before clicking Send. You'll feel much better when you read your own words after cooling down. If you decide the tone is appropriate, send it.
Use your utilities. Whatever e-mail software you use, learn its features and use them to help you organize the daily interrupter of your life.

How do you organize your e-mail, desk, or even your writing? Write, and share your organization tips.

(This article is reprinted with permission from Technically Write, November 2004 issue. The article might have undergone some changes in compliance with the editorial policy of Indus.)

(Jackie Damrau is a senior STC member, 2004-2005 President of the Lone Star Community, and 2005-2008 Director candidate. She is a technical communicator with T-Mobile USA working with the HotSpot division in the WiFi area. She has more than 20+ years of technical writing and instructional design experience. When not spending the majority of her time assisting with her local STC chapter, Jackie enjoys going to the movies, reading classic literature or Irish/Scottish/English historical romance or time-travel novels.)

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