23 Best Email Productivity Tips That Will Boost Your Game Right Now

Email has transitioned from an asynchronous form of communication to an “always-on” technology, and the number of hours spent on email will likely keep rising. So we must learn how to be more productive on email to get things done faster. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

Turn Off Email Notifications

Each interruption hurts your productivity

It takes around 23 minutes to refocus after an interruption
Disable your notifications
Flow is a state of deep immersion in a task (known as “being in the zone”)
We have a Pavlovian response to notifications, making us hyper-responsive to them

Only Check Email 2x Per Day

Schedule specific times in your calendar to process email.

Check email only 2-3 times per day. Schedule one Pomodoro cycle (25 minutes) per session for each email block. End time: end time is not allowed after the email is processed.

Don’t Check Email During the Night

This will disrupt your sleeping cycle, and you might find an email that looks scary or urgent and then have a hard time trying to sleep again.

Receive fewer emails

Workflow + System + Fewer Emails = More Time for Deep Work

3 ways to receive fewer emails: Unsubscribe, Send fewer emails, Not every email needs a response
Do not reply right away if an email does not get a reply

Use the 2-Minute Rule

If an email takes less than 2 minutes to deal with, do it right away.

Make Exceptions for Special People

Not all emails are the same

If you know that not replying to someone will hurt you or your work, you should do it
Keep notifications for your VIPs
Your boss, family or important clients might need fast responses

Cut Down on the Back-and-Forth Emails

Be specific

Use the title to give a heads up to your reader about urgency and timeline
Cut to the chase
Nurture the skill of brevity
State what you will do
Ask clear questions
Stop asking unnecessary questions

Close Email After Each Session

Close the tab, disable notifications, or even delete the app on your phone.

Work Comes Before Email

Resist the urge to check email when you arrive at the office.

Don’t use email as an excuse to procrastinate on what you’re supposed to do
The first hours in the morning are usually the most productive. Use them to produce real work.

Get Personal

Email is an awful medium for discussing delicate topics

Controversial issues
Reprimanding someone’s behavior
Decision making
Complex planning
Other activities that benefit from human contact
Sometimes it’s easier to call or talk face-to-face

Email Productivity: Mindfulness and Process

Create a mindful routine that fits you and your needs

Develop a system to process your inbox
How you’ve been dealing with email so far isn’t working for you, and it’s time to change
23 email tips that will turn you from an email slave to an email productivity superstar

Use Folders

Filter different actions you need to take on each email by heading them to: Need to actively work on

From your VIPs
Archive
Do not store emails indefinitely
Sort email before opening it to find what needs to be done and what doesn’t

Tell People What to Expect

Send a quick expectation-setting email to let them know you are aware of their email and briefly explain the situation.

Become Hard to Reach

Limit the access people have to you to avoid becoming overwhelmed

Turn Your Gmail Into a GTD Gmail

Using this productivity system, your Gmail will double as an inbox as well as your task manager.

You can save all conversations that need action on – a reply, a reminder, or a task – while still keeping an inbox zero.

Work on Something That Excites You

If you have a big goal to achieve, something that excites you, email will become secondary.

Ask yourself: “Is this helping me reach my goals or am I just procrastinating?” This simple question will help you shift your focus to making progress on your goals.

Practice Good Email Etiquette

Make it scannable

Avoid squishy words
Know what you want
Outline it first in plain-spoken language
Bold the important
Keep conversations small
Only include people who need to be a part of the discussion
Forwarding code of conduct

Use a Workflow to Process Email Faster

Create a methodical approach that will keep your inbox clean

Think of every email as either something: You need to take action on Track
Refer to later
Having only 3 possible types of actions simplifies processing email in bulk

Touch It Once

Only touch email once and move on

Decide right away what to do with it
You can: Open and respond
Forward to the right person
Write the necessary tasks on a to-do list
Don’t open emails out of curiosity

Create Templates for Common Emails

By using email templates, you won’t find yourself writing the same emails over and over again

Set Expectations With an Autoresponder

Let people know you’re checking emails less to be more productive.

Train other people to respect your productivity by setting expectations about how often you will respond to emails
Example: “Due to high workload, I am only checking email between 11 am and 4 pm. Thank you for understanding this move to more efficiency and effectiveness.”