The birth rates of email are increasing every year.  According to the Radicati Group, the typical businessperson sent and received around 196 emails per day in 2014, and this was a 35% increase from the volumes measured two years earlier.  So, if you feel that all you do all day is respond to email, picture your life in two more years.  Gulp.  Your email situation will not get better without an inbox intervention – starting today.

As tempting as it is to blame the growth of email on everyone else, change starts at home.  What can you do to slow the growth of the email you send and receive?

Start by having a conversation about when to email you (and when NOT to)

It often feels easier to copy someone than risk not keeping him/her informed.  Talk to your colleagues and support staff.  Clarify when to copy you and when not to.  Consider asking for a daily or weekly status report that summarizes recent activities.  One status report email can replace tens or sometimes hundreds of email messages sent and received.

Avoid using CC: and Reply All unless necessary

By the same token, ask people when they want/need to be copied – don’t assume someone needs to be copied, especially when they have no actions to take on the email.  And if you reply to all, take a moment to delete names of recipients who are not impacted directly by your response.

Compose emails that generate results and not just replies

Emails that clearly and concisely state the needed actions to be performed will not only get you what you need but will also reduce the necessity for back-and-forth responses to clarify your requests.  Watch this video for more tips on composing the perfect email.

Remember that email is not the only communication tool available to you

If there are more than three back-and-forth replies, pick up the phone.  Or, pick yourself up and talk to your colleagues.  Not only will you improve communication and reduce email, but you may even increase your life expectancy.

There is no magic bullet to curbing the growth of email.  However, it starts with you and your daily choices on how to use email.  A tool is only as effective as the person who wields it.

Are you tired of letting email run (ruin?) your day?


Read my eBook Conquer Your Email Today…because there is no tomorrow.

Melissa Gratias (pronounced “Gracious”) used to think that productivity was a result of working long hours. And, she worked a lot of hours. Then, she learned that productivity is a skill set, not a personality trait. Now, Melissa is a productivity expert who coaches and trains other businesspeople to be more focused, balanced, and effective. She is a prolific writer and speaker who travels the world helping people change how they work and improve how they live. Contact her at getproductive@melissagratias.com or 912-417-2505. Sign up to receive her productivity tips via email.