Comments on: A Complete Guide to Better Email For Freelancers

By: Matthew Cornell

Matthew Cornell — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:10:40 +0000

Great ideas, dead wrong suggestions. For example:

o OHIO (only handle it once) - in the sense of touching - is flawed: The idea should be only THINK WHAT IT MEANS once (and do this when you first see it). If you can’t take care of it now, defer it for later. But when you do get to it, you’ll be handling it again - thinking about, marking up, responding to, etc.

o “Any unresolved exchanges should be kept there, or you’ll forget about them.” Wrong. This could be called the “distract myself and waste my time” approach. The best practice is to decide the message’s required action, track it OUTSIDE OF THE INBOX, and move it to somewhere else, i.e., separate folders like “Action” and “Pending” (I break the latter into “Action support” and “Delegated.”) If not: You’ll be distracted and stressed every time you read new mail, and you’re re-thinking messages you’ve already thought about once. Waste that freelancers do not need.

Offered in the spirit of constructive provocation

By: Men with Pens Web Content Writers and Freelance Writing Services

Men with Pens Web Content Writers and Freelance Writing Services — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:13:16 +0000

[…] Holy Toledo, Batman. I spend a small fortune of time on dealing with emails. (For those of you who want to attain inbox heaven, see here and here.) […]

By: Dave Ellis

Dave Ellis — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:07:58 +0000

In theory the inbox is a great idea for all pending emails, in reality I’ve always struggled to apply this - partly down to the huge amount of different types of emails I get. My latest system involves lots of different folders e.g. personal, business and then mailboxes for every client. Even this I find flawed though as again, some emails just don’t seem to fit a specific type!

By: Gopal Dobariya

Gopal Dobariya — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:58:44 +0000

Great Guide…….

I’d love it……

Great going….

Cheers !!!!!!!!!11

Regards
Gopal

By: Jermayn Parker

Jermayn Parker — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:43:07 +0000

Liked this…
I find that checking my email on my phone on the dunny can help sort out REALLY important emails and allows you to not have to sit on computer to check emails if you want a day off!

By: Brett Nyquist

Brett Nyquist — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:46:04 +0000

Every since I started putting labels and filters on everything that comes through Gmail my life has been so much easier. Since I’m somewhat of a neat freak when it comes to my inbox.. I would freak out if it every got over 50 messages.

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:32:41 +0000

Great tips.
I use gmail with labels.

By: Suzie Cheel

Suzie Cheel — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:30:15 +0000

This great Skellie,
I am working through getting my inbox to be empty. I like you pending filter as otherwise although archive can find an important email, it can get lost. I just saw how many emails where in my gmail, I need to keep unsubscribing, or use your filter delete method I think

By: Sunday Morning Round-up

Sunday Morning Round-up — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:06:08 +0000

[…] A Complete Guide to Better Email for Freelancers […]

By: bejamshi

bejamshi — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 18:04:55 +0000

Please help me to find out how I know my important emails have been read?
I do not wish for the client to feel I am in anyways putting pressure on them specially when it comes to sending contracts and quotations.