Business Corner

Is it time to clean your e-mail in-box?
Are you using your e-mail account as an archive? If you are, you might want to keep your eye on how much of the available storage you have used and occasionally get rid of things you definitely don’t want anymore.

Some people like to save everything and others just don’t want to deal with throwing out what they don’t want. But eventually both of those practices can cause the same problems that being a packrat in the brick and mortar world causes -- space and clutter issues.

E-mail with large attachments can use up a lot of space and even though many of the e-mail accounts available are increasing storage capacity for users, it’s a good idea to keep a handle on what you’re saving and delete what you don’t want. Use the search function to pull up lists of e-mail you’re sure you don’t want and start cleaning.

Some important rules for e-mail
According to David Shipley and Will Schwalbe, authors of Send: The Essential Guide to E-Mail for Office and Home (The New Yorker, “Elements of E-style,” by Nick Paumgarten), you really should be using exclamation points to be polite and friendly in your e-mails. Here are a few of their recommendations:

• Assume everything you write will be forwarded.
• Never forward anything without permission.
• Thanks!!!! Is friendlier than Thanks.
• Abbreviations like LOL are fine.
• Emoticons are fine.
• Don’t apologize for something via e-mail If possible do it in person or at least over the phone.
• Don’t reprimand someone via e-mail. This should always be done in person if at all possible.

Reprinted from SQE Professional, October 2007