Email can be a lot of fun or a big pain in the you-know-what! Would you like to get more out of your email time? Any email you receive fits into one of the following 5 categories. Here is a good way to deal with them.
CUTE OR THOUGHT-PROVOKING –Many of us look forward to these.
When someone sends you a cute or thought-provoking email, it is tempting to forward it to all of your friends to show them you like to be connected to them, but do not be hasty.
As we will discuss in a later section, nobody likes “junk” email. If you send too many emails, none of them are “special.” Be selective about which items you forward. This way, your own interests become evident and your emails are something the recipient actually looks forward to.
It is not necessary to respond to all of these emails but if someone forwarded an email to you that you especially liked, be sure to tell them so. That gives you one more opportunity to “connect” with your real friends and it illustrates your tastes, thereby encouraging them to send you other similar items as they get them.
It is better to cut and paste the relevant part of the incoming email which you intend to forward, rather than forward the exact one you received. The person(s) before you probably don’t want you to send their email addresses all over the place, and their computers might have viruses which your recipient does not want.
PERSONAL – These are the very best emails. They are easy to recognize because they have special notes, unusual attachments or unique observations that are particularly relevant to you.
People who go the extra mile to send you a personal email consider you to be a lot more important than just “one of the gang.” They think you are somebody special.
In most cases, these are the emails which deserve the most of your time. We all invest large blocks of our time trying to be liked and finding new friends, but any adult knows there is no friend like an old friend. The best way to attract lots of old friends is to treat new friends well. Responding to each personal email is one great way to do that.
Have you ever had a family member who you also considered to be a friend? These are among the best relationships you will ever have. You should cherish their emails, just like you would a birthday present or a heart-felt hug. Be certain you respond to their emails in a timely manner, usually within 48 hours.
Some of our greatest pleasures in life come from personal emails that we exchange with Veterans, elderly relatives and pen pals. Be sure to include them in your email time.
Don’t send email which contains naughty articles or pictures of anybody. If your email gets forwarded into the wrong hands, you can be charged with lewd conduct or pornography-type crimes. If convicted of those crimes you may be forced to register as a sex offender for all the rest of your life. No short-term giggle is worth that.
JUNK EMAIL – We all get too many of these. Somehow we get on mailing lists which we don’t like.
Do not give out personal information to these people; especially your Social Security numbers, checking account or credit card information, birth date, home addresses, phone numbers etc. If the email “appears” to be from somebody you know about such as eBay or the Walt Disney Company, they do not ask for personal information this way. Instead log onto their web site and provide the information through there.
When you get this type of email, you should deal with it immediately. It is not enough to delete these items because many of them will continue to pester you. HOWEVER, REPONDING TO THEM CARRIES ITS OWN RISK.
Whenever you respond to email, the other party knows that the email address which they have for you is a correct one; and, bad people can then add your name to other lists. So, do not respond to these unless they are from somebody you know to be legitimate.
If the email is from somebody you know to be legitimate, they should provide an opportunity for you to “opt out” or “unsubscribe” from their mailing list. DO SO RIGHT AWAY! Otherwise, over time, your in-basket becomes so crowded with incoming mail it requires even more effort to wade through the mess. Once again, if their “Opt out” form requires you to provide your email address, caution should be exercised.
As sad as it is, you did not win a bazillion dollars or inherit a fortune from someone in an out-of-the-way country. If you really were entitled to such funds an attorney would send you a certified letter and you would have your own attorney respond. Other topics may be equally unwelcomed. Before you delete these emails, be sure to “block” the senders. Then you won’t have to look at their garbage again.
USEFUL – This includes exchanges you have with businesses, churches, schools, groups, officials and individuals with whom you have some sort of professional or established relationship.
There are numerous interpretations to the Golden Rule, but the basic precept applies very well: Always treat other people the way you would like to be treated.
Respond quickly. Use good manners (Please, thank you, you’re welcome).
Remain courteous, even if the other party has done something wrong. This is especially important if you are communicating with someone who is not the wrong-doer. For example, if you were billed for something you did not buy, the person on the other end of your email probably did not cause the problem. They are not the enemy. He/she is trying to help you. If you are nice to them they will want to help you.
If there is some sort of conflict, keep copies of invoices, order numbers and other pertinent communication until the transaction is completed to your satisfaction.
NOT SURE YET – Sometimes we get email that seems intriguing but we don’t immediately know what we want to do with it.
If you have been invited to an event or discover a product you find interesting, but you just aren’t sure what you want to do, mark your email as “unread” so that you will check it again soon. By then you may have a clearer picture of what you want to do.
If you are still undecided after a few days, this is probably one of those things that you find somewhat interesting but the timing is not right for you (otherwise you would have been more inclined to act on the matter.) It is usually better to purge this item or move it into a folder called “not now.” Check back occasionally and see if the matter is any clearer.
Email can be a lot of fun or an unnecessary burden. By implementing these rules you ought to be able to attend priorites, build relationships, avoid problems and use your time efficiently. Oh Yeah, there is one more thing….
PASS THIS ON; preferably, with a personal comment!
CUTE OR THOUGHT-PROVOKING –Many of us look forward to these.
When someone sends you a cute or thought-provoking email, it is tempting to forward it to all of your friends to show them you like to be connected to them, but do not be hasty.
As we will discuss in a later section, nobody likes “junk” email. If you send too many emails, none of them are “special.” Be selective about which items you forward. This way, your own interests become evident and your emails are something the recipient actually looks forward to.
It is not necessary to respond to all of these emails but if someone forwarded an email to you that you especially liked, be sure to tell them so. That gives you one more opportunity to “connect” with your real friends and it illustrates your tastes, thereby encouraging them to send you other similar items as they get them.
It is better to cut and paste the relevant part of the incoming email which you intend to forward, rather than forward the exact one you received. The person(s) before you probably don’t want you to send their email addresses all over the place, and their computers might have viruses which your recipient does not want.
PERSONAL – These are the very best emails. They are easy to recognize because they have special notes, unusual attachments or unique observations that are particularly relevant to you.
People who go the extra mile to send you a personal email consider you to be a lot more important than just “one of the gang.” They think you are somebody special.
In most cases, these are the emails which deserve the most of your time. We all invest large blocks of our time trying to be liked and finding new friends, but any adult knows there is no friend like an old friend. The best way to attract lots of old friends is to treat new friends well. Responding to each personal email is one great way to do that.
Have you ever had a family member who you also considered to be a friend? These are among the best relationships you will ever have. You should cherish their emails, just like you would a birthday present or a heart-felt hug. Be certain you respond to their emails in a timely manner, usually within 48 hours.
Some of our greatest pleasures in life come from personal emails that we exchange with Veterans, elderly relatives and pen pals. Be sure to include them in your email time.
Don’t send email which contains naughty articles or pictures of anybody. If your email gets forwarded into the wrong hands, you can be charged with lewd conduct or pornography-type crimes. If convicted of those crimes you may be forced to register as a sex offender for all the rest of your life. No short-term giggle is worth that.
JUNK EMAIL – We all get too many of these. Somehow we get on mailing lists which we don’t like.
Do not give out personal information to these people; especially your Social Security numbers, checking account or credit card information, birth date, home addresses, phone numbers etc. If the email “appears” to be from somebody you know about such as eBay or the Walt Disney Company, they do not ask for personal information this way. Instead log onto their web site and provide the information through there.
When you get this type of email, you should deal with it immediately. It is not enough to delete these items because many of them will continue to pester you. HOWEVER, REPONDING TO THEM CARRIES ITS OWN RISK.
Whenever you respond to email, the other party knows that the email address which they have for you is a correct one; and, bad people can then add your name to other lists. So, do not respond to these unless they are from somebody you know to be legitimate.
If the email is from somebody you know to be legitimate, they should provide an opportunity for you to “opt out” or “unsubscribe” from their mailing list. DO SO RIGHT AWAY! Otherwise, over time, your in-basket becomes so crowded with incoming mail it requires even more effort to wade through the mess. Once again, if their “Opt out” form requires you to provide your email address, caution should be exercised.
As sad as it is, you did not win a bazillion dollars or inherit a fortune from someone in an out-of-the-way country. If you really were entitled to such funds an attorney would send you a certified letter and you would have your own attorney respond. Other topics may be equally unwelcomed. Before you delete these emails, be sure to “block” the senders. Then you won’t have to look at their garbage again.
USEFUL – This includes exchanges you have with businesses, churches, schools, groups, officials and individuals with whom you have some sort of professional or established relationship.
There are numerous interpretations to the Golden Rule, but the basic precept applies very well: Always treat other people the way you would like to be treated.
Respond quickly. Use good manners (Please, thank you, you’re welcome).
Remain courteous, even if the other party has done something wrong. This is especially important if you are communicating with someone who is not the wrong-doer. For example, if you were billed for something you did not buy, the person on the other end of your email probably did not cause the problem. They are not the enemy. He/she is trying to help you. If you are nice to them they will want to help you.
If there is some sort of conflict, keep copies of invoices, order numbers and other pertinent communication until the transaction is completed to your satisfaction.
NOT SURE YET – Sometimes we get email that seems intriguing but we don’t immediately know what we want to do with it.
If you have been invited to an event or discover a product you find interesting, but you just aren’t sure what you want to do, mark your email as “unread” so that you will check it again soon. By then you may have a clearer picture of what you want to do.
If you are still undecided after a few days, this is probably one of those things that you find somewhat interesting but the timing is not right for you (otherwise you would have been more inclined to act on the matter.) It is usually better to purge this item or move it into a folder called “not now.” Check back occasionally and see if the matter is any clearer.
Email can be a lot of fun or an unnecessary burden. By implementing these rules you ought to be able to attend priorites, build relationships, avoid problems and use your time efficiently. Oh Yeah, there is one more thing….
PASS THIS ON; preferably, with a personal comment!
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