I am going to admit it - my work email inbox is out of control. Today, I have over 800 unread emails and several hundreds more that I have opened but have not filed. I could spend several days straight dealing with just email and never get any actual work completed.
Each time I open my inbox, I am struck with the decision that I have to make for each email: Do I need to respond? Do I need to finish reading it? Should I file it away? When I came back after months of maternity leave, my manager advised that I should just delete everything and start fresh.
Usually, I can quickly recognize the urgent emails relevant to the project I am leading or flag the emails from my superiors that require my immediate attention. But how can any other email capture my attention and elicit a timely response?
I know that I am not alone in having the metaphorical mountains of emails. As expected, getting a response from a colleague via email can sometimes be a challenge. I want to share a few tips on how we can write the most effectiveness emails so that they don’t end up in unanswered limbo.
Write an effective subject line.
Tip #1. Include pertinent and relevant information in the subject line.
Examples:
- Seminar Room Change Today: Now B24-100
- Potential protocol violations
Tip #2. If you need someone to pay attention to a certain date, then include that date in the subject line.
Examples:
- Blood samples shipped by June 24
- Wed April 20: Deadline to reserve your townhall tickets
Tip #3. State the purpose or action requested for the email in the subject line.
Examples:
- ACTION: Review informed consent form by Friday
- INFORM: Manufacturing SOPs archived in shared drive
Structure and format your content so that it is clear and concise.
Tip #4. Limit greetings and niceties. Unless I have a personal relationship with the person receiving my email, I keep the introductory or closing remarks brief.
Examples:
- Hope you had a great weekend!
- Safe travels!
Tip #5. Structure your content so that the “ask” is that the beginning of the email. I like to highlight the “ask” up front and refer the reader to additional background information at the end of the email.
Examples:
- May 22: Deadline for reviewing Data Management Plan
- Question: Do you agree with the dose escalation option? (see below rationale)
Tip #6. Favor bullet points or numbered lists over long paragraphs. I find that these help me organize my thoughts and only keep the relevant information in the email. Bullet points and numbered lists also help the busy recipient skim your content.
Examples:
- Can you please confirm which of the following doses we should test?
- 0.5 mg/kg
- 2.0 mg/kg
- 5.0 mg/kg
- Please review and return the following attachments:
- Draft manuscript
- Cover letter
- Conflict of interest statement for the journal
Proofread your email again (and again!) before sending it.
Tip #7. Check your spelling and grammar. Correct spelling and grammar will reflect your professionalism and your attention to detail. If you are not a native English language speaker, ask someone who is to proofread your email especially if it is a very important communication (e.g., when applying for a job or writing an email to your group VP).
Commonly misused words:
- Their, they’re, and there
- Affect and effect
- Compose and comprise
- Accept and except
- Fewer and less
Tip #8. Confirm the tone and intent of your email. If you are angry or very excited when writing the email, then it may be best to take a few deep breaths, go do something else for 30 minutes, then read it again before hitting Send.
Sometimes, I have a gut reaction to someone’s email, so I draft that response right away. Then I return to the email afterward to see if I might soften the tone or make it sound more friendly. Lastly, I insert the appropriate salutation and closing.
It may also be worth thinking twice about whether to send an email. A phone call or setting up a meeting might be more appropriate and effective in some situations.
Tip #9. Understand the appropriateness of informal vs. formal situations. It may be OK to use emojis, abbreviations, or incomplete sentences if your recipient is a close friend or colleague. You may not want to use these when trying to make a positive first impression. Know when being formal is appropriate.
My manager often send emails to me with a single-line or single-word response. But I’ll bet he sends complete sentences to senior executives.
Making it easy
People have different email writing styles, and these may be altered depending on a number of factors, including the mood of the writer and the identity of the recipient. However, if the primary goal is clear communication, then I do my best to avoid writing confusing emails that my audience doesn’t have time for or patience to very carefully read and interpret.
In closing, remember that the key to writing effective emails is to make it easy for the recipient to understand your intent.