Many people are completely swamped with emails. They have not seen the white space at the bottom of their inbox for a LONG time. On average, people receive 40 to 50 emails a day - some up to 200 - and the average worker spends more than an an hour a day on email. Are you on top of your emails or are you losing the RACE ?

I have put together some TIPS that may help you get on top once more...

Batch

The first RULE to manage your emails efficiently is simple: batch email checking time. You should try to check your inbox only once or twice a day. I doubt that your business pays you for your ability to respond to emails. By batching emails and making decisions as soon as you touch one, you will have far more chance to be on top of them.

Turn off the Alerts

Do it NOW...Go to "Tools, Options" and in the "Preference" tab click on "Email Options/Advanced" email options. Under "when new items arrive in my inbox", deselect or un tick all the options. If you receive on average 60 emails a da,y then this means 60 interruptions a day.

Be ruthless

Out of 10 emails you receive, how many will have a long-term impact on your performance? The average answer is one or two, which means 80 percent to 90 percent have NO, or limited impact. Remove yourself from all unnecessary email lists. Make the distinction between the "nice to read" and the "MUST read" and focus only on the "must read" - information that is critical to your success / performance. Also, be very harsh with the amount of time you spend responding to emails. Ask yourself if the quality of your response is important. You are better doing a "quick" response in five minutes rather than writing the perfect answer in 30 minutes.

Copy that

The number of emails we are sent a copy of (or "cc") is an increasing problem in large companies. In Outlook, you can easily set up rules and create a "cc Folder". You can create a rule in Outlook to automatically move emails you are cc-ed to a folder and you check them quickly once a week (see below). As long as this cc folder does not become a procrastination folder and as long as you have the discipline to check it once a week this could be a good way to reduce your time spent on emails.

Avoid procrastination

Work on the "one touch, one decision" rule. In this simple process, ask yourself" "Do I need to do something about it and what is the next logical step to deal with this email?"
1. If you do not need to do something with it, either delete or file the email
2. If you need to do something with it, ask yourself "How long will it take me and can I do it now?" If it will take less than 5 minutes and you can do it now, then do it now.
3. If it will take more than 5 minutes, open your calendar and decide when you will do it. Block time in your calendar and then file or delete the email. It's better to make a rough estimation and schedule the time instead of saying to your self "I will do it later when I will have the time"

Move it

Most people know how to move an email from their inbox into a folder. But many people do not know a great FEATURE of Outlook. It allows you to move an email into your TASK, Calendar or Contacts. Say you receive a request from your boss or a client for input on an important project. You estimate you need a good hour to work on this. Have a look at your calendar and decide when you can do it. You can then drag and drop the email into the calendar folder or display button of Outlook Calendar. This will open a calendar entry and you just have to write the relevant subject, then choose the date and time.

Deal with it

Once you have dealt with an email by taking action or scheduling some action, file or delete. DO NOT keep in your inbox. Remember you do not leave your mail in your letterbox at home. You do not use your mailbox at home to store interesting information your receive or important letters you need to act on.

CC FOLDER RULE - Instructions

• In Outlook onbox, under mail, click on "Folder Tools / Rules and Alerts"
• Click on "New Rule" and select "start from a blank rule"
• Select "where my name is in the cc box" and "Next"
• Select "move to a specified folder"
• Select "have server reply using a specific message"
• In the second step, click on "New" and create your "cc folder", then click on<span class=" fbUnderline"> "a specific message" </span>and type a message, say: "Thank you for your email. I only check cc-ed emails weekly. If it is urgent please contact me directly."
• Click "next" and decide if there will be some exceptions and click "next"
• Give a name and click "Finish"
• Schedule one hour a week to check your received cc's and stick to it.

Marketing Coach Catherine Rumble from Core Excellence publishes the popular 'Core Success Monthly' monthy eZine for small business owners, solo-preneurs, entrepreneurs and business owners. If you'd like the truth about how you can market your business with little or no money visit www.FreeMarketingStrategies.com.au and get your FREE eBook, 145+ Low Cost/No Cost Marketing Strategies that will put more money into your Pocket Right Now! Go to http://www.FreeMarketingStrategies.com.au