According to a new study, a cluttered inbox can cost you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year.
Research by the University of New England (AU) found that most people rely on their inbox to store electronic records, and only a small number save important documents such as bills in another location. This inevitably leads to issues such as being charged late fees on lost bills, lapsed renewal notices, and missed tax deductions due to lost receipts.
Adopting a few simple email hygiene habits will not only keep your inbox organised but minimise your financial loss due to email overload.
Declutter regularly
Start your day by dedicating 5 minutes to prioritising inbox organisation. Unsubscribe from irrelevant mailing lists, archive or delete old messages, and move message you need to save into relevant folders.
Tip: Search for the word “Unsubscribe” to quickly find emails from mailing lists that are no longer relevant to you.
Email responsibly
Don’t contribute to the clutter! Ensure the emails you send have clear, concise subject lines to allow ease of organisation for yourself and the recipient. Proof read your emails before sending to ensure you’ve included all relevant information to avoid clarifying responses being required.
Read top down, Write bottom up
Hack your inbox to avoid email ‘tennis matches’. Some people reactively respond to emails as soon as they come in, which can lead to you getting stuck in a back and forth that stops you from attending to the rest of your inbox.
Read your inbox from the top down but respond to the oldest emails first.
By responding to your emails in chronological order, you’re less likely to get stuck in the rally and you’ll be able to keep on top of your inbox.
By making inbox organisation and good email etiquette a daily habit, you’ll save money in missed obligations, and streamline communication within your business.
