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Write clear and correct subjects
Tricking someone into opening an email might get you a quick click, but it comes at the cost of trust. Sending emails with mysterious subject headings, or intentionally vague, alarmist or misleading ones, should be frowned upon in a work environment. Be clear and obvious in your headings to avoid confusion as to what it’s about.
Cut it in half
If you’re writing a work email, don’t use it to unload every bullet-point of information you’ve ever had on the subject. Save that for detailed attachments, spreadsheets or meetings.
As a general rule, if an email essay to a colleague is longer than one scroll of your mouse, it’s already too long.
Check the formatting
Emails deserve to be one font and colour only. Using multiple font sizes and formats to try to get attention distracts from the message. Sometimes cut-and-pasting information from various sources (hello, ChatGPT) can really play with the formatting. Leave emojis and exclamations out of your emails, and keep it super-clean.
Tone down the language
If you’ve ever written a reply with the words “As per my previous email,” then I’m looking directly at you. It’s already hard enough to read the intended tone of an email without adding passive-aggressive jabs into the text.
Aim to keep your words civil, focused and to-the-point. If you really feel emotional about an issue, deliver the message in person, not in writing.
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Don’t be an email courier
Has anyone ever sent you an email, then called or walked to your desk straight away to ask, “Did you see the email I just sent?” That’s called an email courier, and it’s a super-annoying habit.
Every email shouldn’t be urgent, nor should it be expected that you’ll respond to it immediately. Chill out, take your time and respond whenever you’re ready.
These are a handful of the most common email crimes that have made their way into most workplaces. Every environment is different, and you should use these as a basis to modify and create ones that reflect how you want to work.
In the four or so minutes that it took you to read this article, more than 1 billion new emails have been sent around the world. Many of them were to and from Australians, so it’s about time we learnt how to do it well.
Tim Duggan is the author of Work Backwards: The Revolutionary Method to Work Smarter and Live Better. He writes a regular newsletter at timduggan.substack.com
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