Essential Email Management Tips and Tools

How many emails do you send every day? Not only are you using this valuable communication tool to send finished assignments, but you’re probably relying on it to touch base with previous clients and reach out to new ones. You’re using it to correspond with sources and verify facts. And you’re probably also sending emails for personal use too—even freelancers do that.

You might think you’re alone as a freelancer, but you’re not: Most people are in a bind with email. That’s because there are nearly 200 billion emails sent – each and every day. And if you kept track of your time dealing with email, in all likelihood you’d probably be spending nearly one-third of your time dealing with it. In fact, how many of you face email management issues, such as too many notes in your inbox, a difficult email filing system, or even loss of emails because you’re so inundated.
There’s a better way – you can get control of your email and make your interactions with it smarter and harder working. For starters, you need to understand that most of the email you get isn’t important. It might be junk, it might not be urgent, but about two-thirds of all those messages don’t really make an impact.

Related: How to Send and Receive Emails Professionally Without Ticking Anyone Off

So the first place to start to regain control over your email life is to take a hard look at your inbox. What are you saving, and why are you saving it? Hit the delete button for all those old offers, old invitations, and non-essential messages. Then focus on responding to those notes that you can take care of quickly; the goal is to make your inbox a reasonable place for you to re-focus your email efforts.

What other strategies help with email? This graphic can help with ideas and tips.

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