{"id":5463,"date":"2021-05-17T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/?p=5463"},"modified":"2022-06-23T10:14:56","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T17:14:56","slug":"how-to-get-your-work-email-under-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/2021\/05\/17\/how-to-get-your-work-email-under-control\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Your Work Email Under Control"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Why is work email so stressful? Most emails can be read and responded to in under a minute, so the amount of anxiety we feel when checking our inboxes seems disproportionate to the amount of effort the task takes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with Business Insider<\/a>, psychologist Ron Friedman explains why work email takes such a toll on employees. He says, \u201cThe reason it can feel overwhelming to find lots of emails in your work inbox is that each message represents another demand on your time and another decision you have to make. Even deciphering a generic announcement about the office coffee maker requires effort, which leaves less energy for work that matters.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Work email also has a sneaky way of monopolizing your time. All those \u201cquick\u201d emails add up to an alarming number of hours each day. Adobe did an email usage study in 2016 that found employees spend over four hours every weekday<\/a> on work emails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you can\u2019t simply stop checking your inbox, there are many ways to optimize it so it\u2019s less stressful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secure your inbox<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cybersecurity is so important in today\u2019s workplace, but very few companies make it a priority to train employees on common security threats. If you think an endless sea of unread emails is stressful, just wait until the sensitive business file you emailed gets hacked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step in your email management plan should be to protect your business data from outside threats so you never have to worry about causing a serious security breach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow these three tips to make your email more secure:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Never send files via email<\/strong>. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Intercepting an emailed file is child\u2019s play for a hacker. Email providers simply aren\u2019t set up to keep attachments safe. Instead, use a file sharing service<\/a> such as Onehub that offers bank-level encryption and secure network connections to protect your messages and files. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    An added benefit of using a file-sharing service is never having to dig through huge email threads looking for files. Onehub keeps files organized and has a powerful search tool to ensure you can always find what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Don\u2019t open links or attachments from unfamiliar email addresses.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Clicking a link or opening an attachment in a spam email is the most common way computers get infected with malware. If you accidentally open a spam email, you\u2019re ok as long as you don\u2019t click anything. Delete it or report it as spam to get it out of your inbox. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Keep your computer, phone, antivirus software, and internet browser updated.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Updates can be annoying because they sometimes take a while and can interrupt your work; however, it\u2019s essential to stay on top of them. Updates are often issued after a security vulnerability has been discovered. If you postpone updates, your devices and software could be vulnerable to cyber attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Organize your emails<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Ever wonder how those \u201cinbox zero\u201d people do it? We did, too, so we looked into it. It turns out the answer is simple: They have a system. They\u2019ve utilized every trick they know to customize their inboxes to a system that works best for them, and they maintain it. There isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all solution for inbox organization, but we\u2019ve collected the best tips for you to test out on your journey to inbox perfection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Create folders, but keep them simple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        It\u2019s much easier to keep your emails organized if you sort them into different folders; however, you don\u2019t want to go overboard with it. Having too many will make it harder to keep track of things and organizing emails into their respective folders will become too time consuming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The goal with folders is to essentially turn your primary inbox into a holding zone where you quickly review new emails and either respond immediately or send them to the appropriate folder to be dealt with later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Try to create a system with no more than five custom folders. The types of folders you make will depend on your personal preferences. For example, you could create a folder for emails that need to be handled before the end of the day and another folder for emails that require a response but aren\u2019t time sensitive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Another helpful option to consider is an \u201cFYI\u201d folder. This folder is for emails that don\u2019t require a response and contain important information you\u2019ll likely need to reference in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Play around with different folder combinations until you find the right system for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Here\u2019s how to create folders in <\/em>Outlook<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Gmail<\/em><\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Archive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        You never know when you might need an email, so hitting \u201cdelete\u201d can feel too permanent. You can still clean up your inbox by archiving old emails. Archiving emails transfers them out of your inbox and into an archive folder where they can be retrieved later if needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Here\u2019s how to archive emails in <\/em>Outlook<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Gmail<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Unsubscribe <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        If you\u2019ve acquired email subscriptions that aren\u2019t useful to you anymore, unsubscribe from them. Even if you know you don\u2019t have to read or respond to them, seeing unread emails in your inbox is visually distracting and creates unnecessary clutter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Save time and stress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Create canned messages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Templated messages can save you an enormous amount of time, but they do come with one caveat. Always make sure you\u2019ve customized any placeholder text in your message before you hit send. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        No one wants to feel like they weren\u2019t worth an original response, so receiving an obviously templated message can sting a bit. This is especially important if you\u2019re sending a canned message to a customer or client. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        A good failsafe is to cut the recipient\u2019s email from the address field, select the canned response, customize the message, and then paste their email back in. If you get ahead of yourself and press the send button before you\u2019ve updated the placeholders, you\u2019ll receive an error message. This is your sign to review the text and make the necessary changes before pasting in the email address and hitting send again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Here are three situations that are perfect candidates for a canned response:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Declining an offer or request<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          A canned response is perfect if you regularly receive offers or requests from vendors, nonprofits, or other external sources. Keep it short and to the point to discourage follow-up emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \u201cThank you for reaching out, but I\u2019m not interested. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Best, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          [Name]\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          1. Scheduling a meeting<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            Avoid all the back-and-forth that comes with trying to schedule a meeting with someone. Instead, send a templated response with a link to your calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \u201cHi [Name],<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            I\u2019m looking forward to meeting with you about [XYZ]. Here is a link to my calendar. [Link] Please choose a time that works best for you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Kind regards, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            [Name]\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            1. Avoiding a meeting<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              Meetings are time and energy intensive. If you\u2019re too busy for a meeting or you\u2019re not convinced yet that the topic is worthy of a meeting, send a canned response that will keep the discussion on email. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \u201cHi [Name],<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              I\u2019m interested in learning more about [XYZ], but my schedule is full at the moment. Let\u2019s continue the discussion via email for now. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Thank you!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              [Name]\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Here\u2019s how to create email templates in <\/em>Outlook<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Gmail<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Turn off desktop notifications for new emails<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

              New email notifications can quickly derail your productivity. If you\u2019re working on something, you don\u2019t need to be interrupted every time a message lands in your inbox. Most employees obsessively check their work email, so even if you receive an important message, it won\u2019t sit in your inbox unseen for too long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Here\u2019s how to turn off desktop notifications for <\/em>Outlook<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Gmail<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              When all else fails, abandon ship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              If your inbox is so out of hand that you don\u2019t feel you can salvage it with the tips above, it\u2019s time for extreme measures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Create a folder called \u201cOld Email\u201d or something similar, and move all of your emails into that folder. If any current messages still need your attention, you can handpick them out of the \u201cOld Email\u201d folder and move them back to the main one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              After this, your primary folder will be a clean slate. You can use the tips we\u2019ve covered to create a new system to prevent another inbox implosion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Here\u2019s how to move emails in bulk for <\/em>Outlook<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Gmail<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Email is always going to be part of your work day, so it\u2019s worth investing some time to keep things organized. An organized and secure inbox will pay long-term dividends. It gives you peace of mind and allows you to use your energy for work that actually matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              If you\u2019re starting your journey to inbox zero, Onehub can give you a much safer alternative to emailing files. Sign up today for a <\/strong>free 14-day trial<\/strong><\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Why is work email so stressful? Most emails can be read and responded to in under a minute, so the amount of anxiety we feel when checking our inboxes seems disproportionate to the amount of effort the task takes.  In […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":5464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false},"categories":[196,202],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5463"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5463\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onehub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}