Does sorting out your email just suck all your time away? Andy and Gandhi talk in this episode about the frustrations managing your email can bring, the challenges we have in primary care and importantly – solutions to bring you control and increase your spare time.
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Despite being so ubiquitous and groundbreaking in its time, this is a medium that is almost universally loathed…
Today we’re talking about email…
We have a complex love-hate relationship with email… Mostly we hate it…
As a clinician email can be particularly frustrating. We have so many ways to receive information tasks and work. And we spend most of our dealing with patients or tasks directly related to patient care. It can feel like Other people working in primary care have more time allocated for purely administrative activities like reading email…
It is definitely worth giving how you manage email some thought…
Why is email frustrating?… (Identifying the challenges)
Email overload
Time issue, can take so long, when do I do it?
Email anxiety – what’s in my inbox?…
Discussion vs response – wrong tool?
Etiquette – why am I getting this email? Tone and controversial topics…
Emails at intrusive at times
What are the possible solutions?
Basic Principals… Three Ps
Parkinson’s Law – allocate set, limited time – batching
Pareto Principal – 80/20 – concentrate on where your efforts will have an impact
Pomedoro – 25-minute dashes, 5 minutes break to complete email or tasks
Getting Organised
Inbox Zero & Getting to Done….
2 min rule
Scheduling for later
Tag, Folders or archive and search?
Check out Gandhi’s episode on productivity
Etiquette
Should this be an email at all? email / phone / meet
reply all, waiting on replies, cc, bcc
Font and confidentiality
Emojis in professional emails
Use the right address for the right reason – security log in
Add the email address last – just in case
Identify action or information
Use the subject line well… and first 2 lines – Project management style – timelines
Templates and signatures,
Dealing with volume/overload
Unsubscribe and whitelist vs junk
Do not disturb
Choose your tools wisely? But don’t obsess
We discuss our current email setups and tips for email platforms and apps
Interface/platform – bluemail
What do you use?
Gandhi – blue mail and Gmail
Andy – outlook
But my phone is always with me… Do not disturb mode
Switch off the notification?
How to email patients: Email use by practices in General Practice
Email audit
Set aside a time frame to do an email audit – sources, folders, and freq – put it in your calendar!!!
Things to think about as clinicians…
Use the right platform or email address for any clinical or sensitive information.
Secure your device.
Alternatives?
People are trying to make email better
Slack, Asana…. Adding project management and team coordination
So how do you feel about email now love or hate?
Let us know…
Certificate of engagement for CPD
Thanks for listening
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