Time management for women in business is often a challenge. Before you know it, things pile up, and on comes the overwhelm. Whatever your role, business owner, founder, executive, or busy professional, women often find themselves running out of time, or the ability to do everything. Effective email management for women in business requires diligence. Email is a time robber, and staying on top of it seemingly impossible. But, with a little effort, you can get back in control.
It’s estimated the average office worker receives 121 emails (according to Review 42), 40 is the average number a day, sent for business purposes. When it comes to women business owners, that number can increase dramatically. Quickly leading to overwhelm of the inbox, and in general.
So, how can we go about it better? How can we be even a little calmer in the process, and attend to “all the things”, in due time? Let’s start with email. Getting to the bottom of this particular time thief will really contribute to helping you maintain your calm, and getting more done. We promise.
4 Email Time Management Tips
- Get control of your inbox and reduce gratuitous email ASAP. Don’t send anything lengthy via email…If it can’t be written in two short paragraphs, consider picking up the phone instead or scheduling a meeting.
- Choose to respond to email at set specific times during the day versus in a “put out the fire” mentality…A vision of Lucy and the chocolate factory episode easily comes to mind…and when you’re reacting versus pro-acting – you’re not doing anything really well anyway.
- Create a “commercial” account for all the newsletters and sign ups online – that you don’t want to read right away. Keep your business email address for that – business, not to share pictures of Suzie’s birthday, or make personal plans.
- Warn people with a short – polite disclaimer where your signature is that you may not respond right away. Encourage people to call you versus sending anything that is emergency related in this format.
Effective email management can help you gain back valuable time. To learn more about effective time management you may want to check out this article about How to have better meetings and be more productive by clicking here.