Did you know that the average worker in America has almost 200 unread emails in their inbox?
People leave their emails unopened for several reasons, the simplest of which is: they can be annoying! Fifty-five percent of people think most emails would work better as face-to-face conversations or phone calls; another 55% are intimidated by lengthy threads involving several email accounts; 54% feel that certain copied emails are not relevant to their jobs.
Are you guilty of having one, two, ten, or a hundred unopened emails? Are you also balancing multiple accounts—such as one personal and one business? How can you make the process of managing emails easy?
We know you’re tired of reading emails . . . let alone reading about emails. But we have some sage advice below that’s worth your while. Take a look.
Check Email Accounts Frequently (And During Designated Time Blocks)
We know, we know—you didn’t come here to get told to check your emails even more often. Hear us out.
If you check your emails sporadically, become overwhelmed, and then put them off, you’re only making future you more stressed out. Instead, we suggest making a schedule and sticking to it.
Have a set time that you check emails. One schedule that works is in the morning (to respond to early risers) and early evening (to give yourself a chance to unwind before heading home). Outside of those timeframes, allow yourself to focus on actionable things.
Forward Emails to One “Master” Account
Is forwarding emails really as easy as they describe here?
In fact, it is! This point is especially true if you’re working with Gmail, an email platform that has really streamlined the process for its users. So, if you have one account for school and one for work, you can send them to one email account where folders clearly define them.
The process of doing so changing from provider to provider, so you’ll have to do some outside research. Gmail makes it easy to forward either all emails or certain types of messages, right through your desktop. Others may have different methods (but will likely still be straightforward).
Have More Than One Browser Open
Or, better yet, consider working with two display screens!
Many workers swear by the two-screen display, but if you’re not in the market for another, you can at least work in multiple browsers or multiple tabs. How does this streamline the process of checking emails?
With one browser or tab, you can focus on personal emails. In another, school. In a third, work . . . and so on. Having separate tabs keeps things in distinct boundaries, allowing you to answer accordingly without signing in and out under one screen—adding minutes to your process.
You’ve Got Mail! And It Doesn’t Have to Suck
Managing several email accounts isn’t for the faint at heart.
Luckily for you, you’ve got what it takes to hold boundaries and answer emails quickly and efficiently. Any time you need a refresher on how to do so, check out this list (and maybe even cc: your boss).
How else can you become the tech-savviest version of yourself?
Keep scrolling our page for all things tech- and business-related. If you find something useful, forward it to your email chain!