Organizing Information

Overcoming E-mail Overload Using Microsoft Outlook


Do you feel like you just get too much e-mail? If you're like me, some days you just don't know where to dig in. Fortunately, I've found a few tips that can help you dig out from under the pile and organize the important e-mails in your life. These tips are primarily for Microsoft Outlook users, though others may find them useful as well.

  • Use Colors to Distinguish E-mail Sent Only To You - I get copied in on all sorts of e-mails, so I can understand what's happening with a variety of things. Many I am able to just look over and file for later. The ones sent only to me are usually important ones that need my action and often immediate attention. By clicking on Tools, and then Organize, then by clicking on Using Colors, I am quickly able to change the color of messages sent only to me. I mark these as blue, but you can use another color if it suits you. And while you're in there...

  • Use Colors to Distinguish E-mail Sent From Your Manager and Other Important People - More often than not, you'll need to pay attention to e-mail sent from your manager, your manager's manager, and other VIPs. Change the color on these to another color you know is important. I use magenta, but use what you like.

  • Click on various column headings to sort for important senders - Do you ever *know* that someone sent you an e-mail, but you're not sure when, and you're not sure what the subject is? If so, just click on the From column heading, and you can quickly sort by sender, and if you type the first letter of the sender's first or last name, you will jump to that letter in your messages. You can do this in any folder, and can always change back by clicking on the date column heading to sort by most recent or oldest.

  • Don't open any attachment from anyone outside your company unless you were expecting it - This goes for e-mail from your friends and family too. Just because the e-mail says "Funny joke. Open now!" doesn't mean it really is a funny joke. This could be a virus that will crush your entire work network, and you don't want to do that. Take it from someone who gets calls on this every day. If you don't know, just delete the message. If it's important, they will re-send it. Trust me. Or call the sender if you know them and ask them if they really sent you an attachment. They'll know.

  • Don't use your work e-mail address to sign up for newsletters, eBay, Amazon, or product activations, and especially don't check the box that says the value added partners can send you information. This is just an invitation to sending you garbage e-mail. To combat this, get a free Hotmail, Yahoo, or other account that you think of as a disposable account to collect all of this stuff. Sure, some you may read, but most is just junk anyway. Once you get on the list, you'll never get off the list. And along with that...

  • Never click on the unsubscribe button for any message you didn't specifically sign up for. This is like saying "Hello, this is a valid e-mail address. Please send me lots of garbage e-mails."

  • Last but not least, keep your work e-mail for work stuff, and your personal e-mail for personal stuff. Don't mix the two. Trust me, the more people that e-mail you at work, the more people think it's okay to e-mail you at work, the less productive you are at work, and the further behind you feel.

    Phil Gerbyshak leads a team of people as manager of an IT Help Desk in Milwaukee, WI, and finds that sharing his knowledge is a crucial component for success as a leader and as a person. Phil's personal philosophy is paraphrased from Tim Sanders' fantastic book Love is the Killer App: "Share your knowledge, your network, and your love. The rest will follow." Feel free to contact Phil at http://makeitgreat.org or call 414.640.7445 anytime.

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