Email is an extremely useful communication tool in business. Less intrusive than a phone call, email is convenient and fast. It empowers entrepreneurs to run their businesses from just about anywhere.
You can communicate with clients and customers, check in with employees and set up important meetings from your office or on the go.
But when used inappropriately, email can hinder productivity. More than one-quarter of a worker's day on average is spent answering and reading emails, according to research released in 2012 by the McKinsey Global Institute. Its survey found that email is the second-most time-consuming activity for workers, next to "role-specific tasks."
Business leaders, CEOs and managers often receive hundreds, if not thousands, of emails a day. Reading and responding to every message can become a drain on time and energy.
A cluttered email inbox -- filled with old, unopened or unimportant messages -- will not only frustrate you. It will prevent you from maximizing your time and distract you from other obligations.
Here are four strategies to better manage your email and keep the messages in your inbox to a minimum.
Related: 7 Ways to Detox Your Inbox
1. Set aside time to read and respond to email.
Don’t leave your email program open all day long. Alerts and beeps from incoming messages can interrupt your work flow and leave you unfocused.
Instead, schedule specific blocks of time throughout the day for checking your email. You might even try marking your calendar and setting your availability to “busy.”
If necessary, turn off your cellphone and shut your office door to prevent interruptions by family members (if you work from home) or employees.
Craft an email reply like this one cited by Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Work Week:
"Due to high workload, I am currently checking and responding to e-mail twice daily at 12:00pm ET [or your time zone] and 4:00pm ET.
If you require urgent assistance (please ensure it is urgent) that cannot wait until either 12:00pm or 4:00pm, please contact me via phone at 555-555-5555."
The amount of time required for reviewing email and replying will depend on how frequently you check messages and how many you typically receive. Some entrepreneurs find it more effective to dedicate 10 minutes every hour to email. Others prefer to only check email just two or three times a day.
Related: How to Write Better Emails (Infographic)
2. Take action immediately.
Making quick decisions and pursuing immediate action will help keep your email inbox under control. The idea is to not delay until tomorrow what can be accomplished right away.