Email Reduction

As one of my least preferred methods of communication, I am methodically working to reduce my use of email, both necessary and optional in order to improve my overall CommunicationProtocols.

Desired outcome: as close to zero reliance on checking email on a local client on a specific machine, such as Microsoft Entourage on my iBook, as possible.

Goals

More specifically.

1. Keep zero email in a local email client.

Techniques

List reduction

Mailing lists tend to be a lot of the email that a lot of people get. Several techniques can be used to reduce usage and dependence on mailing lists. Note, for all but the "unsubscribe" case, be sure to create a separate email alias for each list at your personal domain so that you can redirect where a list goes without having to deal with the specific site/group specific list management user interface. If you don't have your own domain name, and web site, get one. You want to own and control your own identity. Your domain starts with your domain name. Then see which one of these applies to each list you're on.

1. Unnecessary. The "I don't really need to be keeping up with information on this topic" case. If you think about it, you probably joined most lists that you are on because someone suggested it to you and you thought you would check it out but then forgot to unsubscribe. Consider this first technique a reminder.
1. Solution: unsubscribe. and don't look back.
2. Ephemeral. The "I can process messages from this list in less than a minute each and can always delete them after processing" case. As long as the volume is "manageable" (i.e. no more than about one message a week), slot these into a "neutral priority" handling queue, and then process them in bulk once a week.
1. Solution: filter to level0. process it once a week. no problem.
3. Archive-worthy. The "I don't really need to read each message but would like to be able to search them once in a while" case. Create a new http://gmail.com/ account like "yournamelistarchive at gmail" or something similar if you don't already have one. Redirect the custom alias you created for this list to that listarchive gmail account. Create a filter accordingly in the gmail account that labels and auto-archives emails from the list accordingly. Anytime you want to search (or just see what is recent) in one (or all) of those lists, you can log into that gmail account and use their kickass fast, thorough, and relevant search capabilities. Now only if web search engines were as good at searching web based email archives like the microformats-discuss archives.
1. Solution: redirect to listarchives gmail. go login to that gmail and search it when you feel the need to reference it.
4. Ephemeral and Archive-worthy. The "I can process this list in seconds and delete, but I also want to keep around for future reference" case. Apply both solutions.
1. Solution: filter to level0 and redirect a copy to listarchives gmail.

By type of email

With enough rules for handling different types of emails, you can both/either:

• handle them quickly
• document it on a personal email policy page that you can refer people to

Types of email:

• From unknown senders
  • web design scholarship announcement
    • solution: delete. optionally: file in a job/income opportunities folder

Filters for previously unknown senders

Some thoughts on filtering previously unknown senders (incomplete)

• income opportunity (scholarship, advising, speaking, consulting)
  • level1
• income opportunity (fulltime, exec recruiters)
  • level0 - until I have updated my resume, indicated explicit non-interest in fulltime positions, and written email templates to quickly reply to recruiter inquiries, then reconsider raising to level1
• press inquiries
  • level0 - until I have a "press" page indicating press communication protocols, and email templates to quickly reply to press inquiries, then reconsider raising to level1

Templates

Sometimes it helps to have a few templates to copy/paste to handle common types of emails either over the short or long term.

Template fragments

Often you can't template an entire email response, but perhaps can re-use a paragraph or two.

2007 post Technorati catchup

Hi ___,

Apologies for taking so long to get back to you. My last days at Technorati kept me very busy and subsequently I've been heads down handling urgent matters that I had previously postponed until I had left Technorati.

Communication redirection

In general I still have far too much email to catch-up on, and while I'm methodically improving my overall email handling efficiency in terms of lists, handling different types of emails etc., I recognize there are limits to how fast I can keep up with how much email I seem to get, and thus my email responsiveness has a very high variance.

However, I've been working on improving my communication efficiency in general [1], and thus if possible, I encourage you to contact me via instant messaging for meeting up or notifying me of events you think I might be interested in. I also encourage you to try out <http://upcoming.org/> as well for tracking which events I find interesting as well as noting which events you find interesting. Please add me: <http://upcoming.yahoo.com/user/6623>

Thanks,

Tantek

[1] http://tantek.pbwiki.com/CommunicationProtocols

Related

• CommunicationProtocols
• SXSW2008ProposalCommunicationProtocols

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