Email is a fantastic tool for small business – it has many benefits over other traditional communication channels. However, it has its issues, too, and can stress us out big time! We are now exposed to more information in one day than someone in the middle ages was exposed to in their whole lifetime. And a lot of that is email!

I teach this method in my workshops and with my 1:1 clients in their offices and they love it. Once you get the hang of it you won’t turn back!

By managing email better when you’re out of the office, you can avoid an overcrowded inbox on your return. These seven simple tips will help.
1. Set up ‘Out of Office’ rules
‘Out of office’ emails can be customised to let senders know that you are on leave. Many systems also allow you to specify different messages for specific senders. Your ‘out of office’ message is a good opportunity to set expectations. E.g. “I will respond within 72 hours” or “I will respond within three days of my return to the office on …