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Do
I need to send this email?
Is it really important? Email clogs up mailboxes fast - only send
emails that are important - to you and your recipient.
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Why
email the whole crowd?
Only send to one or two recipients - if more people are copied in,
few will bother to read it - a waste of your time and clogged up mailboxes
for more people.
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But
how do I prove what I said?
Emailing everyone just to cover your own back is bad practice and
damages morale. If this is the custom in your organisation, why not
take this up with your manager or personnel department? When you genuinely
need to keep emails, save copies in specific email folders -
but review and empty these regularly.
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Is
my email too long?
Keep emails short - unless sending detailed information specifically
required by your recipient. Most people read the first few lines and
skip the rest - a waste of your time and even more clogged up mailboxes.
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Why
does no-one read my emails?
Place the most important information in the email header or first
line of text, so that your recipient can see what it's about immediately.
If you have to send a long email, start by explaining briefly what
you need, eg "I need your response on this project by tomorrow
or else we'll miss the deadline".
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Am
I saving too many emails?
Manage your mailbox ruthlessly. If you want to retain an email out
of interest, file it in a temporary folder to be reviewed once a week
(or other specified period). If you haven't actioned these emails
before your review, delete them.
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Which
e-newsletters should I read?
News and information are useful, but do you have time to read all
the e-newsletters available? If you subscribe to a daily or weekly
e-newsletter and haven't read three issues in a row, unsubscribe immediately.
If it's that useful, you can always subscribe again; but you probably
won't miss it.
