Email getting on top of you?

Email is a hugely powerful tool, it allows communication across the world in seconds between individuals or groups, in the form of text, pictures, video or audio material, and it is becoming almost omnipresent, like television.

However, such is our reliance on email in business that it can sometimes become a burden, not an asset.  It's common for people to have hundreds of unread emails in their inbox, in Customer Service related departments in particular, staff cannot cope with the flow of requests and information they receive, and so customers lose out and staff stress levels rocket.

There are a number of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools out there to manage this specific problem of customer > supplier communication, but there are still countless other functions in business where emails are overwhelming the recipient to the point where they become useless.

There is another way though.  Two years ago, having reached the point where I could no longer cope with the flood of email into my inbox, I was told about a work management system called 'Getting Things Done'.  The trite title belies the effectiveness and almost unbelievable simplicity of the system, and revolves around keeping your inbox empty (I know, a pipe dream isn't it!).

In summary, it works by;

• Capturing all your inputs (email, paper in tray, phone calls),
• Defining actionable things discretely into outcomes and concrete steps,
• Organising reminders and information in categories based on how and when you need them, and
• Reviewing everything in a systematic way.

There's a book on the method which is probably quite hard work but if you're that overloaded you'll be glad you read it!  There's also a PDF on how to make the most of Outlook (2003 or 2007) available from the GTD website, and it turns this simple application you curse at every day into an incredibly effective personal workflow and productivity tool.

Don't pay hundreds or thousands of pounds on 'specialist' producitivity applications, it's all there in Outlook just waiting to be used.  Set some time aside, and learn this new method, and you'll be glad you did, I guarantee it (speaking as someone with an empty inbox).

Richard Bartlett offers expert and independent IT Consultancy Services to review your IT, help buy the right systems, install them, train your users to use them, and ensure you have appropriate IT Support. For more information on services including training on using Outlook for personal workflow and productivity see http://www.rgbartlett.co.uk/services

Sources: GTD and Outlook 2007 whitepaper © David Allen & Co.

Comments

[Damian]

Hi Richard

Good ideas! I already had the book but hadn't been to visit the GTD website. FWIW I downloaded the zipped set of free articles and can't see among them the Outlook pdf you refer to; can't find it on the site either :(

Cheers

D

[Damian]

I take that back, having followed your link! Don't know why I supposed this to be a free one!