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  • 1.  How to Handle Emails?

    Posted 11-02-2021 09:43 AM

    What method do you use to sort your emails to optimize your time?

    Is there a program that you use? Do you save an hour a day for emails? I'm only a few years in the industry and I don't get that many emails but I'm sure some experienced individuals here get 50+ a day. How do you manage?

    In undergrad one of my professors had his inbox automatically sort his emails based on the class title in the Subject line.
    Is this something that some of you use for different projects?



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    Daniel Bressler EIT, A.M.ASCE
    Structural Engineer
    Brooklyn NY
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  • 2.  RE: How to Handle Emails?

    Posted 11-03-2021 08:13 AM
    Did you know that inbox management is used an exercise in assessing leadership ability? Search on "In-tray exercise leadership". Returning to your question, I think managing one's inbox takes a combination of ruthlessness and discipline. It's also important to have a good handle on priorities. A lot of email can be immediately deleted, especially messages where one is copied. It takes a certain discipline not to respond when you don't have to. For email pertaining to projects (priorities) one has to decide if a response is needed now or if it can be deferred. Best practice in my mind is to let the sender know, immediately, if you plan to defer and to get back to you if a faster response is needed. Delegation is also critical as one moves up in the organization.

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    Mitch Winkler P.E., M.ASCE
    Houston, TX
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: How to Handle Emails?

    Posted 11-05-2021 03:19 PM
    In our office we use gmail, and I like using the labeling function. Each project gets its own label, and those are nested under a "Project" label. I find that adding the label which only take about 2 seconds per email really saves me a lot of time when I inevitably need to go back weeks or months later to find something again. 

    I have my emails sorted so that unread emails are at the top so that I don't "lose" emails after a few days and forget about them. I tend to use my unread emails like an extension of my to-do list. I open an email and the mark as unread again if it isn't something I'm going to address immediately.

    I also like to get my emails down at least a few times a week to no unread emails. I know this may be less possible as I get farther in my career, but I find it helpful for now. 

    I also think it can be helpful to set aside some "email free" hours in the day. I've found my productivity goes up and my stress level goes down if I don't constantly have my email open.

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    Heidi C. Wallace, P.E., M.ASCE
    Tulsa, OK
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: How to Handle Emails?

    Posted 11-22-2021 10:48 AM
    I used two or more separated Gmail account for schools, passions/ personal for social media's, and for organization or my professional account. All important emails are starred so they will appeared first things first when I open Gmail. You can also used to label each emailing persons. And save all important contact in google contacts so they will be sorted firstly. Put some later responses in a note like sticky notes in your desktop so you won't forget them. I also forgot that naming the subjects precisely will save your time, when you can search it in the upper search bar of Gmail. But I bet many companies have their own systems of emails in the company because I saw it from the others, and not sure how they manage it all once but here what I found how they do so too:

    How to Sort Emails in Gmail and Organize Your Inbox

    Sort Gmail by Sender

    Sort Gmail by Size

    Sort Gmail by Date, Subject, Name

    How to Sort Unread Emails in Gmail

    How to Sort Emails in Outlook

    How to Sort Emails in Yahoo

    Best Email Sorter Software and Apps

    About Clean Email


    Reference: https://clean.email/how-to-sort-emails 

    Another tips are:

    (Ruthlessly) Unsubscribe from things you don't read
    Set a limit to the time you spend in the inbox
    Use the 1 minute rule when replying
    Use filters
    Read only the emails that are relevant
    Create template replies if you often send similar replies
    Structure your mails into categories
    Have a "Reply by XX Day" folder

    Reference: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/11-simple-tips-effective-email-management.html

    I hope these helps. Blessings.


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    Llala Chrishaye Ocampo S.M.ASCE
    Student
    City of General Trias Cavite
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: How to Handle Emails?

    Posted 11-29-2021 11:25 PM
    For Outlook, create a filing system just as you would file documents - Main Topic Folder / Critical Categories / Sub-Categories.  Example:  "Project X / SC-888 / Specialized IT Scope".  Create as many subfolders as needed, but use Main Topic Folders sparingly.  It is the similar to what we used for hard copy / paper filing cabinets in prehistoric times! You can still search them if you cannot find an email you "thought" was filed in a particular folder, but usually they are right where you placed them.  No personal emails in a business account. Use a personal account for personal emails. Clean up your Inbox daily. Read all emails.  Some emails take considerably longer than one minute for a response - you can use the Drafts folder for those in progress. Clean out your Drafts folder daily unless you're missing information for a complete, professional reply. Save critical emails in a document control system with appropriate metadata.

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    Michael Kozinetz Aff.M.ASCE
    Construction Manager
    Murrells Inlet SC
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: How to Handle Emails?

    Posted 03-25-2022 03:28 PM
    We use Zoho which is a cloud based email software suite. It allows you to tag co-workers into email chains and comment on emails within the office. It's alot better for delegating emails than Outlook, where you have to forward emails or use shared email boxes. It has task management but we don't use that quite yet.
    -Terry

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    Terence Schlitt P.E., M.ASCE
    Vero Beach FL
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    Original Message


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