Get to Inbox Zero: Email Like a Journalist
Lost productivity is costly. According to multiple research studies, the average person receives more than 304 business emails a week. The average worker checks their inbox 36 times in an hour, and then spends about 16 minutes refocusing after handling incoming email. The studies show that the annual productivity costs per employee are $1250 for spam emails, $1800 for unnecessary emails, and $2100-$4100 just for poorly written ones.
Founder, and the author of Work Simply, Carson Tate, explains:
“We are all bogged down by the sheer volume of email we receive and to which we must respond. That volume grows even more daunting because so much of that communication is unclear, ambiguous and flat out sloppy. These sloppy emails waste your time. And they cost you hours each week. Which means they’re also costing you money.”
She suggests that we can dramatically reduce the volume of email messages we receive by crafting email messages using the key foundations of journalism: who, what, why, and how. It may seem obvious, but utilizing all four in one emails ensures that your message is understood upon the first read, and does not require multiple back and forth emails asking clarifying questions.
Who? This breaks down into two sub-questions: “Who needs to respond to, take action on, or make a decision about this information?” Put their name(s) on the to: line. “Who needs to know this information?” Put their name(s) on the cc: line.
Why? Look back at the names on the to: line and the cc: line. For each name, ask yourself, “Why is this person involved in the project?”…Make sure the tone, style, and content of your email matches up—just as you would choose appropriate words, tone, and body language if you were sitting across a table from them and discussing the topic in person…
What? “What is the purpose of the email?…What are the key facts? What references or research data need to be included?”…
How? Ask yourself, “How do I want recipients to respond?” Describe this explicitly in your email. If there’s a deadline, say so. If you want an email response, say that…Never assume that people will understand what you want—tell them as straightforwardly as possible.
