Are you good at email?

Students and teachers often complain that they get too much email and this is a valid complaint.

Email Overload Is Costing You Billions -- Here's How To Crush It

Top Tips:

For Receiving Email

1. Use separate email accounts for separate purposes. I recommend 3 accounts.   For example,  use one specific account for VIU matters,  and another account for personal non-VIU matters.  Have a third as a general account where when you have to give an email address to someone  you don't know (ie. a business) you use this.  This is where your junkmail will go. 
2. Try not to check it constantly as this wastes time.   Have a routine of regular times to check your messages, such as first thing in the morning,   first thing when at work,  before or after lunch,  and later in the afternoon.   Four times a day should be enough.  And have a set time for fully processing/managing all your daily emails.
3. Use your folders to organize your mail.
4. Don't be afraid to delete emails.
5. Make certain that you are receiving important emails such as from VIU ISS.
6. Keep your inbox to a minimum.  Some suggest no more than 25 messages.  All other messages should be read, filed, or deleted.
7. Acknowledge that you received the message.   Otherwise the sender may not be sure you got their message.    Keep this reply short and prompt.
8. Use the 80/20 principle.  

For Sending Email

1. Don't send an email unless it is really necessary.   If there is a better way to communicate (i.e. talking to someone or using a wiki),  then do this.
2. Always include a clear "subject line".
3. Make certain that your name is in English, and that you have an appropriate email address (i.e. one that indicates who you are, and is not silly or offensive).  Otherwise,  it may not be read.
4. Keep it short.    Long messages are better sent as letters, perhaps as an attachment to a short email message.
5. Use spell-check.
6. Reply promptly,  clearly,  and briefly.
7. As with all writing,  consider the reader and write for them.   You are not writing for yourself.
8. Have your email program remember email addresses so you don't have to type them in each time.    If you do type in an email address,   be certain to spell it correctly.   A misspelled email address is a serious problem!
9. Put your most important point at the beginning of the message.
10. Avoid text-speak (i.e. emojis).   This is email, not texting.   
11. Remember 'please' and 'thank you'.
12. Have a signature block at the end of the message.   A message should always be signed to ensure the recipient knows who sent the message.

Remember that email is a tool for fast convenient (and potentially mobile) communication.  Use it for this.   It should be not be a place to store information or for discussion;  these are better left to wikis or discussion forums.

You may want to explore Evernote  or  PBWorks for these purposes.

I really like this webpage

11 Essential Tips to Manage E-mails Effectively