Be smart from the very beginning, new e-mail edition
June 15, 2017 2:26 PM
I'm going to be starting an (academic) job in the fall, and I have a new shiny e-mail inbox that comes with it. What system should I set up now to keep my college-associated electronic life organized?
As I start this job (as an assistant prof) I realize I have the opportunity to set up a good system for e-mail, as opposed to complete lack of a system in the personal e-mail account I've had for 12 years. Already I'm getting e-mails that are departmental, all-campus and all-faculty stuff, and there's going to be student advising and class-related e-mails and research-related correspondence pretty soon.
The new school's a Google shop. I should probably also start maintaining an actual (Google) calendar, which I've never done consistently.
In grad school, I just had my other account forward to my personal account but I don't want to do that this time (for one thing, my new org discourages that for sensible student privacy-related reasons).
This is a little open-ended, but people who are in academia, work at universities, or have especially good tips for keeping your e-mail inbox and other electronic parts of your life organized and manageable, lay it on me, please.
As I start this job (as an assistant prof) I realize I have the opportunity to set up a good system for e-mail, as opposed to complete lack of a system in the personal e-mail account I've had for 12 years. Already I'm getting e-mails that are departmental, all-campus and all-faculty stuff, and there's going to be student advising and class-related e-mails and research-related correspondence pretty soon.
The new school's a Google shop. I should probably also start maintaining an actual (Google) calendar, which I've never done consistently.
In grad school, I just had my other account forward to my personal account but I don't want to do that this time (for one thing, my new org discourages that for sensible student privacy-related reasons).
This is a little open-ended, but people who are in academia, work at universities, or have especially good tips for keeping your e-mail inbox and other electronic parts of your life organized and manageable, lay it on me, please.
Perhaps this seems self-evident, but you should break your email down into categories, and make a folder for each category. Then, you should use filters to sort your incoming email into those categories. What categories should you use? Well, that's up to you, and as you settle in to your new position, you'll start to figure out what categories would be helpful. Examples:
Maybe a folder for email from students, or separate folders for each class you teach. A folder for communication with other faculty. A folder for communication coming from your school's administration staff. But really, the system is up to you.
Managing email isn't a "set it and forget it" kind of thing, either. Over time, you'll want to revise your categories and your sorting filters. You'll take on specific projects, you'll depart from others, students and responsibilities will come and go. Your inbox, and how you manage it, is a living thing that needs tending and pruning once in a while.
Oh, and here's one other thing that I highly recommend: I never, ever use work e-mail for personal correspondence. And vice-versa.
For one thing, it helps keep things organized in my life. If my cousin says, "hey did you get that email I sent?" I know that I only need to check one account, not two. Or when my friend emails me the directions to the wedding reception, the directions won't be in my difficult-to-access-on-the-weekend work account.
Another reason to keep them separate: I really try not to check email on the weekend. If I'm digging around in my work email account trying to find the directions to the wedding reception that my friend sent a month ago, I will inevitably stumble across some work-related issue in there that will start nagging at me during non-work hours.
Keeping work and personal email makes it easier to disconnect from work.
posted by cleverevans at 3:27 PM on June 15, 2017
Maybe a folder for email from students, or separate folders for each class you teach. A folder for communication with other faculty. A folder for communication coming from your school's administration staff. But really, the system is up to you.
Managing email isn't a "set it and forget it" kind of thing, either. Over time, you'll want to revise your categories and your sorting filters. You'll take on specific projects, you'll depart from others, students and responsibilities will come and go. Your inbox, and how you manage it, is a living thing that needs tending and pruning once in a while.
Oh, and here's one other thing that I highly recommend: I never, ever use work e-mail for personal correspondence. And vice-versa.
For one thing, it helps keep things organized in my life. If my cousin says, "hey did you get that email I sent?" I know that I only need to check one account, not two. Or when my friend emails me the directions to the wedding reception, the directions won't be in my difficult-to-access-on-the-weekend work account.
Another reason to keep them separate: I really try not to check email on the weekend. If I'm digging around in my work email account trying to find the directions to the wedding reception that my friend sent a month ago, I will inevitably stumble across some work-related issue in there that will start nagging at me during non-work hours.
Keeping work and personal email makes it easier to disconnect from work.
posted by cleverevans at 3:27 PM on June 15, 2017
If it is Gmail, there isn't any reason to really use folders as the search system is great.
I use them and just think of them as tags which is more like how they are. Keep in mind that in most of academia people use email poorly so a lot of it will be figuring out how to get around people's weird pecadillos with email use.
For me I had a "folder" for every class, filtered the all-campus and all-faculty stuff straight into folders (i.e. skipped the inbox entirely) and offered mailto links for students to contact me which would pre-populate with a subject line which I'd also pre-tag but leave in my inbox until I'd read it. Even for class I'd use sub-folders for various weeks of the semester to sort students digital work.
Also make sure you check the spam folder especially at first because since the Google Docs alarm sometimes stuff that is normal is going there.
Put your email address in the footer of your email messages along with a phone number if you have it because people love phone calls.
complete lack of a system in the personal e-mail account I've had for 12 years
Realistically though, does this lack-of-system work for you? Because you're unlikely to become a super-organized person just because you have no emails. Set up some general outlines of how you'd like stuff to go (inbox zero or every email tagged or replies to all emails by end of week or whatever) and try to check in every week and see if you're sticking to it. It's going to be an evolving organic system but getting comfy with combining filters with tags with what skips the inbox and what doesn't will be 75% of the battle.
posted by jessamyn at 3:47 PM on June 15, 2017
I use them and just think of them as tags which is more like how they are. Keep in mind that in most of academia people use email poorly so a lot of it will be figuring out how to get around people's weird pecadillos with email use.
For me I had a "folder" for every class, filtered the all-campus and all-faculty stuff straight into folders (i.e. skipped the inbox entirely) and offered mailto links for students to contact me which would pre-populate with a subject line which I'd also pre-tag but leave in my inbox until I'd read it. Even for class I'd use sub-folders for various weeks of the semester to sort students digital work.
Also make sure you check the spam folder especially at first because since the Google Docs alarm sometimes stuff that is normal is going there.
Put your email address in the footer of your email messages along with a phone number if you have it because people love phone calls.
complete lack of a system in the personal e-mail account I've had for 12 years
Realistically though, does this lack-of-system work for you? Because you're unlikely to become a super-organized person just because you have no emails. Set up some general outlines of how you'd like stuff to go (inbox zero or every email tagged or replies to all emails by end of week or whatever) and try to check in every week and see if you're sticking to it. It's going to be an evolving organic system but getting comfy with combining filters with tags with what skips the inbox and what doesn't will be 75% of the battle.
posted by jessamyn at 3:47 PM on June 15, 2017
Your university may also have a records management policy that governs email. Some emails may be considered transitory records and ok to delete. Others might be considered proper records that need to be stored according to a retention schedule.
Good luck with your shiny new email account!
posted by Calzephyr at 4:02 PM on June 15, 2017
Good luck with your shiny new email account!
posted by Calzephyr at 4:02 PM on June 15, 2017
If it is Gmail, there isn't any reason to really use folders as the search system is great.
Disagree. I got into the habit of using folders because I always worked in Outlook/Exchange workplaces (although the search is a lot better then it used to be) but I love shunting emails into different folders for an entirely different purpose: triage. If I log on in the morning and see 23 unread emails in the "Client X" folder and 2 unread emails in the "Client Y" folder, guess which one I'm checking first?
I like it a lot more than running through an inbox.
posted by Automocar at 4:40 PM on June 15, 2017
Disagree. I got into the habit of using folders because I always worked in Outlook/Exchange workplaces (although the search is a lot better then it used to be) but I love shunting emails into different folders for an entirely different purpose: triage. If I log on in the morning and see 23 unread emails in the "Client X" folder and 2 unread emails in the "Client Y" folder, guess which one I'm checking first?
I like it a lot more than running through an inbox.
posted by Automocar at 4:40 PM on June 15, 2017
Set up a folder or tag for any thank-yous from students, or positive correspondence from mentors or colleagues. This may come in very handy when you go up for tenure or other competitive opportunities.
posted by catlet at 5:07 PM on June 15, 2017
posted by catlet at 5:07 PM on June 15, 2017
I created a ton of folders to organize things and am rigorous about tagging and archiving things as soon as I responded to make everything less overwhelming (and to try to not overlook anything for more than a few days at most). Some important folders: RTP (review, tenure, promotion--I put here not only information pertaining to these stages, but all of the emails confirming stuff that looks good for review/on a cv...); Department Business (our meeting minutes, discussions about hallway paint, etc); Each committee I'm on get a folder (nested under RTP); Teaching--general pedagogy, then folders for major courses; folders for various professional commitments (conferences, research, publications, etc). And don't forget a folder for the various social emails you might get! :)
posted by TwoStride at 5:11 PM on June 15, 2017
posted by TwoStride at 5:11 PM on June 15, 2017
Folders and Streak. I use Streak to group like emails together (so, I'll have a folder for PROJECT and then a streak set up for Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, etc.). Streak also lets you track emails and snooze them. SNOOZING IS MY FAVORITE FEATURE. I use it to remind myself to follow up on emails that haven't recieved responses.
posted by Brittanie at 5:26 PM on June 15, 2017
posted by Brittanie at 5:26 PM on June 15, 2017
I treat my inbox as a physical inbox and try to keep it as empty as possible - only things that I have to respond to are kept in my inbox. Everything else is filed away.
I make one folder called background noise for every professional email situation I've ever had - this is where high-level emails go that I don't need to pay attention to but might want to find later.
Folders for every class. Tell your students it they don't put the class name in the subject line it might go to spam. And then be diligent about filing emails away once you've responded. At the end of the year, or quarter/semester, move all the class folders to another folder with the name of the term/academic year, like 2017 fall or 2017.
And then emails that you will need to find later but don't need to worry about now? Star then and file them away and check your starred email folder every month or so.
posted by umwhat at 6:32 PM on June 15, 2017
I make one folder called background noise for every professional email situation I've ever had - this is where high-level emails go that I don't need to pay attention to but might want to find later.
Folders for every class. Tell your students it they don't put the class name in the subject line it might go to spam. And then be diligent about filing emails away once you've responded. At the end of the year, or quarter/semester, move all the class folders to another folder with the name of the term/academic year, like 2017 fall or 2017.
And then emails that you will need to find later but don't need to worry about now? Star then and file them away and check your starred email folder every month or so.
posted by umwhat at 6:32 PM on June 15, 2017
Whatever system you begin with, treat it as tentative and leave some flexibility. Because you're going to learn as you go. I started a new job 6 months ago, and really only by 5 months in could I understand where the email volume was greatest, what kinds of stuff need a tickler file, etc. Start with a plan, but plot in a couple of review points during the first year to tweak your system. You won't get it perfect right off the bat - too much you don't know yet.
posted by Miko at 8:38 PM on June 15, 2017
posted by Miko at 8:38 PM on June 15, 2017
I do not work in academia, but I used to be horrible about dealing with email, and after much effort, I am now... Well, not great, but certainly adequate. So under the category of "especially good tips:"
For me, the main secret was this: I stopped treating my inbox like a to-do list or calendar.
In other words, if a friend sends me an email asking me to look after her dog while she's away, I no longer leave that email in my inbox as a reminder that I should be looking after her dog. Instead, I put a reminder on my actual calendar, or a to-do item on my actual to-do list. And then I respond to the email and archive it. My inbox is only for emails that I need to respond to.
That made the biggest difference. Almost as helpful was realizing that it was OK to have a general "Archive" folder for emails I don't need in my inbox. I still try to categorize emails if I have the time, but I no longer feel obligated to sort every email that comes in into exactly the right folder.
posted by yankeefog at 3:32 AM on June 16, 2017
For me, the main secret was this: I stopped treating my inbox like a to-do list or calendar.
In other words, if a friend sends me an email asking me to look after her dog while she's away, I no longer leave that email in my inbox as a reminder that I should be looking after her dog. Instead, I put a reminder on my actual calendar, or a to-do item on my actual to-do list. And then I respond to the email and archive it. My inbox is only for emails that I need to respond to.
That made the biggest difference. Almost as helpful was realizing that it was OK to have a general "Archive" folder for emails I don't need in my inbox. I still try to categorize emails if I have the time, but I no longer feel obligated to sort every email that comes in into exactly the right folder.
posted by yankeefog at 3:32 AM on June 16, 2017
I am an assistant prof (associate prof beginning in August!), and I use Gmail labels for everything. I do have all of my Gmail accounts forwarded together, so everything to my school account gets tagged as such as it comes in. Then, I manually label things as I receive them. I don't necessarily respond to things quickly, but I make sure I label them as I read them. I generally use "Unread" as a sign that I need to get to this soon, and star things that are important to find later (e.g., a journal review due in one month).
I set up a new label for each course section each semester (I tried one label per course that didn't change by the semester, but it made searching quickly for a key word for this semester much more difficult). I have a label for each committee I'm on. I have a label for student mentoring, which includes my assigned advisees as well as recommendation letters, etc. I have a label for each of my scholarly projects. I have a label for the business of student research--forms, scheduling, etc. not related to a specific project.
One thing I like about Gmail labels versus folders is that things can have multiple labels. So, if I'm mentoring one of my advisees in student research, an email would get the school label, mentoring label, student research label, and scholarly project label. That way, when I go back to find it later, I don't have to remember which specific folder I stuck it in, just one of those many labels.
posted by hydropsyche at 5:02 AM on June 16, 2017
I set up a new label for each course section each semester (I tried one label per course that didn't change by the semester, but it made searching quickly for a key word for this semester much more difficult). I have a label for each committee I'm on. I have a label for student mentoring, which includes my assigned advisees as well as recommendation letters, etc. I have a label for each of my scholarly projects. I have a label for the business of student research--forms, scheduling, etc. not related to a specific project.
One thing I like about Gmail labels versus folders is that things can have multiple labels. So, if I'm mentoring one of my advisees in student research, an email would get the school label, mentoring label, student research label, and scholarly project label. That way, when I go back to find it later, I don't have to remember which specific folder I stuck it in, just one of those many labels.
posted by hydropsyche at 5:02 AM on June 16, 2017
Keep your private email out of it. (And I mean that in the nicest, for-your-own-good way possible!)
posted by wenestvedt at 8:42 AM on June 16, 2017
posted by wenestvedt at 8:42 AM on June 16, 2017
Thank you for all the tips! I am reading and appreciating all of them.
posted by dismas at 3:54 PM on June 16, 2017
posted by dismas at 3:54 PM on June 16, 2017
Marked some best answers, although everybody's suggestions were great and I really appreciate them. As a little followup: My new school's FERPA training made it clear to me that I probably needed to maintain separate inboxes, and I saw this as an opportunity to try out organizational strategies instead of trying to impose them once I have five gigs of e-mails to go through. My (personal) inbox is fine and I'm not losing stuff but I figured it would be nice to try to start on the right foot.
Especially appreciate the tips on keeping e-mails from students that are course-specific straight, and I never would have thought of keeping track of tenure-related e-mails in real time. Thanks y'all!
posted by dismas at 11:25 AM on June 19, 2017
Especially appreciate the tips on keeping e-mails from students that are course-specific straight, and I never would have thought of keeping track of tenure-related e-mails in real time. Thanks y'all!
posted by dismas at 11:25 AM on June 19, 2017
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One idea is to ask students of a class to use BIO101 in their subject line so that you can filter by class.
I also use the tag tenure for things to put in my tenure file.
I use Sandbox to prioritize email.
Also remember that everything in your university email is FOIA - able. Don't violate FERPA or send anything private or gossip via your university account.
posted by k8t at 3:22 PM on June 15, 2017