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E-mail Diet?? Do You Need To Go On One???

By
Real Estate Agent with Realty Executives Platinum

Email

This morning while I was getting ready for work I happened to catch a news segment asking if you ever feel overwhelmed with e-mail - if so maybe you need to go on an e-mail diet.  The reporter said that the average employee gets over 400 e-mails a week and spends over 15 hours dealing with them! (See full report  http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/TakeControlOfYourLife/story?id=3418958&page=1 )

I love my e-mail and most of the time having it is great because I can leave messages and updates for my clients at 1:00 am and not have to worry about waking them up - but does all of the time we spend on our computers help us with our careers or hurt us?  Are we loosing the personal touch?  Do we need to go on e-mail diets???

They gave a few suggestions on how to cut some of the time spent going through your email:

Cut the clutter before it starts -subscribe to everything you do not read but say you will read it someday

Use spam blockers (this is a bit harder for our profession as we may get leads on-line that are not already in our address books)

Treat your in-box as a one-stop shop-They said that you should deal with each message once and only once. They said Read, Respond and delete all at one time. I usually try to keep my e-mails that have anything to do with my files-but maybe I will start printing them out and just keeping them in the file - it is great back up and then you do not have to worry about your computer crashing

Lose multiple accounts   - this was one that I do not know if I agree with - I like  to keep my work and personal e-mail separate. Although most of the time I do not have time to read the jokes that friends and family send - on occasion it is nice to take a break

Send fewer e-mails and if they do not need to respond use "NRN" No Reply Necessary

 

 

Comments (7)

Todd and Danielle Millar
Glenn Simon Inc. - Edmonton, AB
Nineteen years of excellence!
I have 4 personal email accounts! Unbelievable never mind my business accounts. I hardly ever deal with snail mail. Danielle
Jul 27, 2007 08:58 PM
Doug Aaserude
Inactive until May. 2009 - Beaverton, OR
Broker
I have 2 personal accounts and 1 business account. its pretty easy to keep up on it if you check and clean it up everyday. The people who get overwhelmed are the ones that dont check and clean it up often. Spam blockers are essential. prioritize and delete. good list and tips.
Jul 27, 2007 09:22 PM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

Good advice, Donna. I have two business email and two personal email accounts. I go through emails first thing in the morning (at 5 am ) and again at 11 am or so and again around 4 pm or so and again before bed. I know a lot of people have emails coming directly to their cell phone /pager. I do have emails that are sent via my website coming directly to my cell. This way I can respond quickly.

Oh dear, I am suddenly thinking of a log cabin in a small village 200 years ago....the silence of it all. And NO technology !

Jo 

Jul 27, 2007 09:55 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

E-mail is wonderful.  Spam has been a problem in the past but a spam blocker on my server pretty much solved that problem.

The reporter who wrote the anti-e-mail article was looking for something to write about.  As usual, when folks complain about something, they seldom consider the alternative. 

The alternative to e-mail is the telephone which is more time consuming, less consuming, more expensive and folks can talk back.

I love e-mail.

 

Jul 27, 2007 11:28 PM
Linda Reynolds
Bradenton Real Estate - Linda Reynolds - Bradenton, FL
Bradenton Real Estate
It can quickly get out of control if you don't stay on top of it.  Your suggestions are great ones to refer back to.  It is good to do the checkup every 6 months or so just to make sure you cut the junk out of your inbox.  Unsubscribing to everything you don't need anymore is a great way to cut down the junk.
Jul 27, 2007 11:35 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate

Donna,

400 per week ? How about 400 per day ! Thank goodness, I have rules in Outlook for where they should go. I do need to get rid of things I'm not interested in anymore to slow some of this down.

Jul 28, 2007 12:36 AM
» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator
» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator - Fort Myers, FL

Donna:

Its the good thing E-mails don't have to be printed out to be read.  That would deplete the earth of all its trees in about 2 months. 

Jul 28, 2007 02:17 AM