Regain control of your inbox

Are you getting too much email? Most people say they do. Depending on the study you read, knowledge workers (which includes academics) can spend as much as 33 per cent of their work time reading, writing and responding to email. Given how busy everyone’s lives are, it seems that getting in control of this massive time sink is crucial. As much as we blame overactive colleagues, “bloated” administration, and student neediness, it could be that our email problems may be of our own making. Here are some tips on taming that email tiger by controlling not what you write, but what is coming into your inbox in the first place.

1. Set expectations. One of the factors that gives us too much email is that people often write back to us, or re-write to us about issues we have not answered. “Did you get my email?” becomes a common refrain. On your email signature, a simple note at the end that explains that you do not answer or read email during certain time periods (for instance, after an evening cutoff, or on weekends) will reassure people that you did get their email but they need to be patient in expecting a response from you. If you don’t want to cut off the time that you read or respond to emails, then make sure you acknowledge each email when it comes in, then queue it up for action at a later time. “Thank you for your email. I will look into this and get back to you by Friday at the latest” is a good, typical response. Your communicators will know that you read their messages, and they have a time when they can expect a response. Also make clear to students on the first day of classes (backed up by wording in the syllabus) how long they should expect a response to take.
2. Be prepared. Some people complain that they get endless emails from students asking for more information on assignments or deadlines, or to ask questions. If your syllabus is complete and accurate, and you have outlined what is expected with clear instructions and rubrics, students know where to go to find the answers to their questions. Convinced that students don’t read instructions anymore? Consider making short videos you can upload to your course management system so that auditory or visual learners can hear your expectations “live.” Generally, the younger the students, the more supports they may need. There is nothing wrong with giving a lot of information. You can also indicate to students at the beginning of term that you will not answer questions over email that could be answered by students simply reading the syllabus. Again, turn this into a teachable moment.
3. Get off listservs and mailing lists. Many of us like to keep up with our disciplines and news on various fronts through email blasts. If you feel you must subscribe to these services, try to get a version that groups all the messages of the day into one email, not many. This way you can give a quick scan to everything that was posted that day and glean what you want when you have time. For me, I have a trusty mentor who reads voraciously these kinds of discussion lists and sends me any messages or information that he thinks are relevant to my research. I find a lot of these lists consist of people who post too much because they are professionally lonely or frustrated, not because they have something important to say. You don’t have time for this. Also, unsubscribe from any lists that no longer interest you. This applies, of course, to your personal life too. You can always resubscribe if you find yourself wanting to know about restaurants, services, or retailers who at one time you might have wanted to follow.
4. Be specific about what you want. Make your subject lines in your emails as specific as you can so that the recipient knows exactly why you are emailing and what you are expecting in way of a response. This will allow them to be more responsive to exactly what you are seeking. Use the acronym “EOM” (end of message) at the end of the subject line so your reader knows that all you needed to say is there and the body of the email is empty. Others may start to pick up this habit which will help you to triage your email.
5. Pick up the phone. Most issues can be resolved or information relayed with a quick phone call. Why spend extra time writing and crafting prose when you can just call someone? This is especially true of tricky or sensitive topics or where emotions are involved. Writing long email messages on upsetting subjects leaves you open to reprisals because you can’t take back what you have said in writing. Deal with sensitive or time-consuming subjects on the phone or, even better, in person.
6. Write short emails. You should really be able to tell someone what you want in a succinct way. Although this habit may not get you fewer email messages in return, it will mean that the responses you receive may be more succinct and easier to process than responses to long-winded prose, which can often embed multiple threads or questions that recipients then have to tease out and answer in even more emails.
7. Be proactive with emailers. If you are being copied on messages that you don’t think are important for you, be upfront with senders and write back, “Why am I being copied on this?” If you find this too aggressive, you can always write and indicate that you would like to be copied in only at the end of a process or project, or when certain outcomes are reached. Most people, when confronted, will rethink their email habits.
8. Use your signature. Nowadays, email programs allow you to include email signatures that can include a lot of information that may help to stem your email flow. Including full mailing address, information on when you answer emails, website details, or even a statement about office hours will all help your communicators to do some work themselves in finding information they are seeking. In most email programs you can craft multiple different signatures and pop them in after writing an email. Use these opportunities to reflect different “hats” that you may wear, and think of what information would be most helpful and appropriate for those audiences.

Finally, remember that acknowledging an email is an important professional responsibility as well as a polite way to honour someone’s communication. The more quickly and efficient you write back, whether with an answer or a promise of future action, the fewer follow-up emails you will receive.

Elizabeth Wells is a professor of music history and musicology at Mount Allison University as well as author of the book The Organized Academic.