Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Get a grip on email

Managing email involves two skill sets.
  1. the technical ~ how to:
    - access your email (via a web interface and/or with dedicated email software like Groupwise, Mac Mail, etc.)
    - effectively use your email client (client = a computer program used to manage email)
    - organize email that you want to keep
    - archive email that you want to keep longer
    - set up an automatic response (i.e., a vacation message when you're off the grid)
    - set up multiple folders to sort (and archive) messages
    - create "rules" for tasks like filtering messages into folders
  2. the conceptual ~ how to:
    - keep up with email
    - set up an efficient schedule to read and reply to email
    - write clear email subject lines
    - decide who needs to have a copy (cc:) of a message or reply to a message
    - keep messages short
    - decide which messages to save/archive and which to delete
Here are some online resources to help with both:

Scripps specific resources
  • Groupwise user guides - Instructions for how to use the Groupwise email software on the Scripps campus (in PDF format) including how to archive messages, filter email lists into folders, setup a vacation reply, and other tips and tricks.
  • Get rid of unwanted email with Postini - techbytes post that addresses how to block specific email addresses and allow others, and deconstructs Postini's email quarantine summary
General online resources
FYI
  • Networked Workers, Pew Internet & American Life Project report, September 24, 2008 report on the impact of the Internet and cell phones on working Americans - more flexibility but also ambivalence about their impact on their personal lives