Avoiding the e-mail crush following a vacation
Business Technology | August 20, 2013
Tired of going back to work after a vacation to see an inbox packed with e-mail messages? You can prevent this. You’ll just need a willing helper at work and some planning.
The helper
Jonathan Feldman, a contributing editor at InformationWeek, recommends you find a friend at work that will be willing to sort through your e-mails while you’re out. This is a big job, so you’ll likely have to promise to do the same for your friend when they are on vacation. Nothing, after all, is free of charge.
Preventive measures
Before your trip, inform your colleagues and friends that you’re going on vacation. Make clear that a co-worker is going to be handling your e-mails while you’re gone. And, yes, make clear that this means another person other than you will be reading your e-mail. Remember to set up your e-mail rules so that your messages go directly to your helper.
The rules
When you come back to work, you should be returning to an well-kept e-mail inbox. Your helper should have read your messages, placed them in labeled folders according to their importance and left you notes on any e-mails that need your immediate attention. Just don’t forget: When your co-workers go on vacation, you’ll have to do the same for your partner.
Tired of going back to work after a vacation to see an inbox packed with e-mail messages? You can prevent this. You’ll just need a willing helper at work and some planning.
The helper
Jonathan Feldman, a contributing editor at InformationWeek, recommends you find a friend at work that will be willing to sort through your e-mails while you’re out. This is a big job, so you’ll likely have to promise to do the same for your friend when they are on vacation. Nothing, after all, is free of charge.
Preventive measures
Before your trip, inform your colleagues and friends that you’re going on vacation. Make clear that a co-worker is going to be handling your e-mails while you’re gone. And, yes, make clear that this means another person other than you will be reading your e-mail. Remember to set up your e-mail rules so that your messages go directly to your helper.
The rules
When you come back to work, you should be returning to an well-kept e-mail inbox. Your helper should have read your messages, placed them in labeled folders according to their importance and left you notes on any e-mails that need your immediate attention. Just don’t forget: When your co-workers go on vacation, you’ll have to do the same for your partner.