Ask an expert

Q I am drowning in e-mail. How can I manage it better?

A Thanks to the BlackBerry and other portable devices, millions of people can’t go more than five minutes without checking e-mail. But when attention is constantly shifting over to e-mail, one’s ability to focus on work is severely compromised. Here are some strategies to help streamline your e-mail process and make it as efficient and effective as possible.

Turn off the audio alert for your inbox. Even better, when you aren’t actively e-mailing, turn off your e-mail program.

Pick up the phone when it’s faster than writing an e-mail (hint: this is more often than you think).
Check e-mail two to four times a day at designated times. Let others know that you now check e-mail a couple times a day, and they should call you directly if something critical arises.

Don’t let messages pile up in your inbox or they will be ignored. For each incoming message there areonly five choices: handle it immediately, forward/delegate it, file it, flag it for later followup or delete it.

Establish a company policy against e-mails that say “I got it” or “Thanks.”

Create a “to read later” folder for newsletters,education and other low-priority messages. File them when they arrive, then go through them in batches when time permits.

Kevin Lawrence (www.coachkevin.com) is a business coach, speaker and president of SGI Synergy Group Inc. in Vancouver