Time Management Tips for Effective Email and Voicemail

You'll learn how to effectively manage your time by managing your email and voicemail in this article. Try these eight time management tips to keep your electronic email and voicemail tools under control. You'll find yourself spending less time reacting to messages and more time focused on more important activities.

Manage your E-mail

1. Check e-mail only three times per day, and actually schedule those times in your planner.
2. Reply to messages you receive only when necessary.
3. Send a brief response to confirm when you receive an e-mail message.
4. Have your name removed from "information only" distribution lists.
5. When writing e-mail be sure to answer who, what, when and where in the first paragraph.
6. Keep all e-mail messages short and limit them to only one screen.
7. Create and use e-mail subject folders to hold your incoming and sent messages. This makes it easier to retrieve information based on specific topics.
8. Try to keep your business e-mail strictly business-focused and use your personal account for personal correspondence.

Voice mail is the easiest way to reach some people. You can leave messages at work, at home, on cell phones and just about anywhere you can imagine. But it's important to keep your voice mail usage to a minimum or you'll be talking and listening instead of focusing on what needs to be accomplished.

Manage your Voice-Mail

Leave brief messages. Remember to state the purpose of your call so the recipient can call back prepared.

1. Encourage people to leave voice mail messages that are no longer than one minute.
2. Schedule time each day to return calls.
3. Use voice mail to answer your phone when you need to concentrate on the task at hand.
4. Check your voice mail at least three times a day, and try to return messages within 24 hours.
5. Use your voice mail greeting to inform callers of your schedule and availability.

Always perform three actions regarding your name and phone number: Leave it, say it slowly, and repeat it.