For centuries, poets and inventors alike have been inspired by the notion that one day we would be able to project our thoughts across the planet at the speed of light. And since the mid-80s, thanks to the miracle of email, we’ve been able to do just that.
It should be a modern form of practical magic, but instead sending and answering emails can feel like one big drag. Climbing the email mountain that lurks in your inbox every morning can sap your will, and figuring out the meaning of mass emails, and working out the right response, is just as dispiriting.
Luckily, by following a few simple rules, it’s easy to make email effective – and minimise the demands it makes on your time. Here are five ways you can do just that.
1. Be clear and concise
Author Virginia Woolf may be a well-respected woman of letters, but her meandering prose style means she would have been rubbish at email. Before you begin composing, decide what you want to say and get straight to the point so you’re not wasting anyone’s time.
2. Be polite
Just because brief emails are, generally, better doesn’t mean you should throw your manners in the recycling bin. A polite opening and closing line creates a good impression and goes a long way to ensure brevity isn’t mistaken for rudeness.
3. Choose the right subject line
Try and pick a subject line that summarises, rather than describes, what the body of the email is going to be about. A good subject line should help your recipient decide how relevant your message is to what they’re working on right now. For instance, ‘Office Party – 14th May 7pm’ is far clearer than ‘LOL! It’s Paaarty Time’.
4. Put messages in context
Sometimes opening an email means you’re pitched into a long, complicated conversation between different people. But who said what? And what exactly are you supposed to be commenting on? Often it’s hard to tell – especially when the messages aren’t even in date order. With this kind of chain message a little context goes a long way. Starting emails with a brief point-by-point summary of who’s said what to whom can save other people’s time working out what’s going on.
5. Know when to pick up the phone
Sometimes the old-fashioned approach works best. So when you have a complex message to relay, or a meaning that could easily be misconstrued, it’s far better to use the phone and talk person-to-person.
