Top Time Tip #96
The Most Useful Time-Saving Email Tip I Know
2nd November 2007
Use ‘Rules' To Automatically File Your Email And You'll Save Yourself Hours Per Week
I've just completed a ‘Getting a grip on email and information overload' seminar for the finance division of one of New Zealand's largest companies. www.gettingagrip.com/training/training-outline.asp
We shared many useful time-saving email tips but the one that almost no-one in the group was using was Rules to save themselves filing time. (And this company is exactly the same as every other company I work with.)
Most people these days know that Folders make filing and retrieval easier (although a surprising number don't use them very well). Many people also know that Rules can be set to Auto-file. However, they don't use them for fear that they'll then lose sight of new mail. (I was just the same until only a few months ago!) In fact you won't lose anything – as long as you change one tiny action when you first go to your Inbox.
Folders:
Have you got a range of Folders set up in the left-hand-side of your Inbox? If not, learn to do that first or the following explanation won't be much use to you. (If you've got no-one around to show you, use the Help menu. It's pretty straight-forward.)
Rules:
First I'll explain the application and give you some simple tips. Then I'll show you how to keep everything under your nose in a beautifully elegant and time-saving way.
How to create a Rule:
In your Inbox, right-click on any mail. (Choose one you'd normally manually click-and-drag to the relevant folder.) A menu will open up. Choose ‘Create Rule'.
In the small dialogue box you'll see the email of the sender and the subject line in the top two boxes. If you want to send all correspondence from that person to the one destination, tick the top box. Only tick the second one if the subject line is always the same.
The two bottom lines of the dialogue box are the key to it all. Tick ‘Move email to folder' and then ‘Select Folder'. This will open up your entire list of folders. Highlight your chosen folder. Choose ‘OK'.
Now you've got a simple rule.
The cool and sophisticated part!
‘Advanced Options' covers all the variables – prepare to be delighted. The Wizard will walk you through a bunch of additions, inclusions and exceptions.
For instance, suppose you want to set a rule that everything with the word ‘Travel' in either the subject line or in the body of the text and which comes from your assistant will go to a Travel folder. In the first page of the Advanced Options Wizard you'd tick both ‘with specific words in the body' and ‘with specific words in the message header'. In the Edit box below, click on ‘specific words' (this will show up once you've ticked as directed in the top panel). Now you can add any words you like.
So how do I find these nicely filed mails?
Some will tell you to watch out for the bold font in each folder, but if you've got any sub-folders you could easily miss things.
One tiny action solves the problem. Instead of going to Inbox when you check new mail, go first to ‘Unread or For Follow Up'. It's a system default folder which you usually find at the top of your email directory (unless you've got a very old email system). Sometimes they're displayed as two separate folders, depending on your set up. You can achieve the same with two folders but it's quicker to have both categories in one folder.
The big time-saver is that, no matter in which folder your mail has automatically filed itself (because of your clever Rules), you'll find in that one folder everything either unread or flagged for follow-up.
A few other enhancements:
If you've read a mail and don't want to lose sight of it there are at least two simple options.
1. Do another right click and choose ‘Follow Up'. You'll get a selection of flags. These will then continue to show up in the same folder. (You can see in the screen shot above that there are 21 items. They're dotted all through the folders – NOT in the Inbox.)
2. To remove the flag, hold your cursor over the flag against the email and a right click will remove it. Alternately, right click, Follow Up, Clear Flag.
3. A right click will also give you the choice to ‘Mark as Unread'. This of course means that the item continues to show up in your Unread Folder.
And the CD where I learnt these cool tricks? ‘5 Easy Steps to Email Excellence'. You'll find it at ...... It's a brilliant CD. Peter, Thea and Jurgen explain all manner of practical time-saving tips in simple language. And probably the best bit for me was that I didn't have to sit at my computer to learn. It's designed for listening to as you drive or travel. (Another time-saver in my book! I spend quite enough hours in front of a computer.)
Productivity Phone Coaching For You
As I signed off from a one-hour coaching session with a client in Sydney this morning, it occurred to me that others might also be interested in the same service. We have a six-session coaching programme to help you bust any productivity issues you are dealing with. Over the years I've done quite a bit of face-to-face coaching here in New Zealand, but phone coaching is not a service we've promoted before. It's really effective.
Marc, this morning's client, is making great strides already with desk management, delegation and overcoming perfectionism. As he masters these matters, he'll start to impact one of his other key issues - his work/life balance. He's looking forward to working less than 80 hours a week and spending more quality time with his young family!
If you'd like to know more, drop me an e-mail robyn@gettingagrip.com for the process and investment. (I can only take six clients at a time, so if you're interested, don't delay.)
Have fun focusing!
© All Rights Reserved to Robyn Pearce, GettingAGrip.com.
Admin Office: PO Box 29 586, Fendalton, Christchurch 8540, New Zealand
Ph. + 64 3 351 2140 http://www.gettingagrip.com
|
