Email! It used to be a novelty and a time saver. Nowadays it can be seen as a hassle, particularly by small business owners who have a lot on their plate.
You don’t have to ignore emails or go offline completely to break through to the surface of the flood of emails coming into your inbox each day. Try some of the following tips:
Switch to voice messaging
Search the app store for a push-to-talk / walkie-talkie style app that lets you connect with your staff in real time. I’ve mentioned in a previous blog that Voxer is my go-to for this technology, it is free to download and is so simple to use.
Push-to-talk apps let you speak to your team at the push of a button, saving you from having to log in to a computer or wait to be transferred to voicemail. You don’t even have to say “Over and out!”
Get together daily
Businesses across the world have a regular ‘huddle’ to allow team members to update each other on what they’re doing and discuss upcoming priorities. This is more than a strategy to cut down on emails, it also fosters rapport amongst staff and encourages brainstorming and collaboration.
Hit Unsubscribe!
Even if you never open them, those spam emails and newsletters from companies that are completely irrelevant to you are distracting you from more productive activities.
Take an hour to take your name off the lists of the eDMs that you do not need. This will not only reduce the volume of emails you receive, it will make your email load more quickly thanks to a lighter inbox.
Avoid long discussions
Reams of back and forth conversations between multiple stakeholders are not helpful or productive. Often the original purpose of the conversation can get sidetracked, and action items can be buried under opinions and ideas.
If a discussion needs to be had between a large group, schedule a meeting and hash it out together. You’ll come to a conclusion a lot more quickly and be able to move forwards.
Limit the time you spend on email each day
Notifications can make you feel important, but they’re a distraction from what you’re doing. IT guru and tech expert Peter Moriarty recommends setting times to check your email each day. He also suggests the strategy of immediately dealing with the emails that only require a two minute response and sorting other emails into your task list to be dealt with accordingly.
How do you dig yourself out of the daily email avalanche? We’d love to hear it from you. Tell us in the comments section below.
