Alan Feldstein's Blog

E-mail isn't going anywhere. And the number of e-mail messages we
receive will only grow. It is a real challenge to avoid being
distracted by the urge to view or work on new e-mails, rather than
working on truly important matters. Further, leaving messages in
your inbox to remind you to complete tasks is akin to having that
many items strewn over your desk in no organized fashion -- no
wonder people stress out when they open their inboxes first thing
in the morning!

An empty inbox is the result of managing e-mail well. It doesn't
mean that you've worked every message, but it does mean that you
have sorted every message into a folder that allows you to retrieve
it when the time comes. By sorting e-mail to an "action folder" and
setting a reminder for when you plan to return to it, you will go a
long way towards managing your inbox, rather than having it manage
you.

Today's Tip: Make action folders. This could be as simple as two
folders titled Action A and Action B. Every time there is an e-mail
that requires further attention, sort them into folders by the
importance or urgency of action.

Copyright, Marsha D. Egan, CPCU, PCC, CEO of The Egan Group,
Inc.,
http://inboxdetox.com . Marsha is a certified executive coach
and professional speaker, specializing in leadership development
and workplace productivity. You can reach her at marsha@
marshaegan.com