5 Tips to Put Outlook in it’s Place

Email is one of those things we used to love. And I mean “used to”.

There was a time when getting an email was the best thing.It was so cool and almost instant. Way better than snail mail.

Until now.

If there is a day when I get less than 50 emails I jump for joy. Most days however, there are over a hundred and many times over 200. And I think I am doing okay!

These days, there are times we’d like to take a break from email and, for many, the novelty wore off years ago. But, many people still allow email to be today’s “ringing telephone”. You know what I mean. If you’re in a meeting with someone and the phone rings, you feel compelled to answer it. (Well, for those of us without PAs!)

It used to be the phone but these days it’s email.

Yet, there are many tools and options in Outlook that can minimise the impact of email on our daily lives and allow us to focus on what we need to achieve each day. When I mention these to people, I am surprised how many don’t know of them. But I shouldn’t be surprised. Many IT departments just install the software. Few, from my experience, take on the responsibility of helping people become productive with it.

So here are 5 simple tips to put Email in its place and get you back on track.

1. Open Up Calendar First
Most effective people would want to be focusing on their high priority tasks each day. So, set up Outlook to open into your calendar and tasks and not into email! This small change actually gets you to see exactly what’s on that day and helps you focus. The alternative is to get hit with hundreds of emails first thing in the morning and that is not a motivating experience.

2. Bells and Whistles – Not!
It’s lovely how Outlook notifies you each time an email comes into your inbox. Sure, you can ignore it but we often stop what we’re doing just to make sure it’s not important. Focus on task? Gone! Outlook wins! You can turn off these notifications and set a time (a task if you will) to check your emails 2 – 3 times a day that will then allow you to get on what with you have to do.

3. Use Your Signature File
To help you get others on side, you can add a line to your signature file to let people know you only check your email 2 – 3 times per day. If the matter is urgent, ask them to pick up the phone. Most people won’t!

4. Drag n Drop
I am old enough to remember when this feature was first introduced! Very cool. But in Outlook most people don’t realise they can do it with emails to create tasks, calendar events and update your Contacts. Just drag the email to the relevant panel on the left hand side and you’ll find a lot of then information is already completed. Saving you time and effort. Not just now, but also later when you’re looking for the information.

5. One Filing Folder!
No, not your InBox! One thing I learned from filing emails in a wide array of folders was that I was always searching all the folders anyway. So, a friend of mine suggested I have one folder to file emails in: a “Filing” folder. Once the email is finished with, I drag it to the filing folder. If I need it again, there is only one place it will be and searching it is a cinch!

Now not all these tips are for everybody.

But before you toss them, try them. Your day will be so much easier when Outlook is in its rightful place.