Over the decades of being online, I’ve found that the average internet user often faces challenges with email. Hence, this website. Even someone like me, who has emailed longer and more than most, has days when email is an effort I dread.
Some just power through the aggravation, while others look for solutions and tools to help them, in this case, manage their email better. I attribute my success to always being open to learning new things and embracing strategies and tools to make my life easier.
Today, I’ll cover the ten things I see that users struggle with most, with links to resources to help you minimize these issues for a better long-term experience. These are just the basics and are totally worth it.
CHALLENGE: Spam and Junk Mail: A significant volume of unwanted emails can clutter inboxes, making it difficult to find important messages.
SOLUTION: Use Effective Spam Filters:
Leverage Built-in Filters: Most email providers have robust spam filters. Ensure they are activated and properly configured, and do the same in your email software.
Mark as Spam: Get in the habit of manually marking unwanted emails as spam to help your email provider and software learn and improve its filtering over time.
CHALLENGE: Phishing and Scams: Sophisticated phishing attempts can deceive users into providing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links. Some of them are very good at looking legit.
Verify Senders: Check the sender’s email address and look for inconsistencies or unusual requests.
Avoid Clicking Links: Hover over links to see the URL before clicking. Avoid clicking links from unknown senders.
Use Anti-Phishing Tools: Install browser extensions or software that provide warnings about suspicious websites and emails.
CHALLENGE: Email Overload: Managing a high volume of personal and professional emails can be overwhelming, leading to missed messages or overlooked essential tasks.
SOLUTION: Manage Email Overload:
Prioritize and Categorize: Use labels, folders, and categories to sort emails by priority and type. Liberally use your Delete button. If you don’t have these features, use an email software program that does.
Set Aside Time: Designate specific times during the day to check and respond to emails. Then, follow through.
Unsubscribe from Unnecessary Emails: Regularly unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails you no longer read. I unsubscribe if I don’t read something three times.
CHALLENGE: Organization: Keeping the inbox organized with labels, folders, and filters can be time-consuming and confusing for some users.
Use Filters and Rules: Set up filters to automatically sort incoming emails into folders based on criteria such as sender, subject, or keywords.
Archive Old Emails: Regularly archive emails you no longer need in your main inbox but want to keep for reference. Be very selective about what you need to keep.
CHALLENGE: Security Concerns: Ensuring email accounts are secure with strong passwords and two-factor authentication and recognizing signs of compromised accounts can be daunting.
Use Strong Passwords: Create complex passwords and update them regularly. I use LastPass, so I don’t have to remember credentials and have complicated passwords. LastPass has an app for your phone, too.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA wherever you can add an extra layer of security. Add the Google Authenticator to your phone, and you’re good to go. You’ll find it in your phone’s app store.
Be Cautious with Public Wi-Fi: Avoid accessing email over unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. Investigate using a VPN on all your devices.
CHALLENGE: Unsubscribing from Mailing Lists: Effectively unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters and marketing emails can be frustrating, especially when the process is not straightforward.
Use Unsubscribe Links: Most legitimate marketing emails contain an unsubscribe link at the bottom.
Email Management Tools: Consider using tools like Unroll.Me to manage subscriptions in bulk.
CHALLENGE: Technical Issues: Problems with email delivery, receiving emails, or accessing email accounts due to server issues or configuration problems can be troublesome.
Check Email Settings: Ensure your email settings are correctly configured.
Contact Support: Contact your email provider’s support team for help with persistent issues.
CHALLENGE: Attachment Management: It can be challenging to handle attachments, including large files, and understand which file types are safe to open.
SOLUTION: Handle Attachments Safely:
Use Cloud Storage: Share large files through cloud storage links instead of email attachments.
Scan for Viruses: Use antivirus software to scan attachments before opening them.
CHALLENGE: Keeping Up with Replies: It can be challenging to keep up with email correspondence and respond promptly to messages, especially when dealing with a busy schedule.
SOLUTION: Create New Habits:
Set Reminders: Use email features or external tools to set reminders for follow-ups.
Use Templates: Create email templates for common responses to save time.
CHALLENGE: Balancing Multiple Accounts: Managing multiple email accounts for work, personal use, and other purposes can lead to confusion and missed emails.
SOLUTION: Learn to Use Syncing:
Email Software Matters: Consider using a more robust email client to manage multiple accounts from one interface.
Sync Calendars and Contacts: Synchronize calendars and contacts across all accounts to stay organized.
Now You’ll Like Email More
By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce the stress and inefficiency often associated with managing emails. Better yet, you’ll enjoy email more, which is a good thing because email isn’t going anywhere.
Even if you take all the steps or recommendations mentioned in the above articles there are still some obstacles we have to tackle when it comes to spam filtering. Spam filtering tools are still evolving and let’s face it are simply programs trying to determine based on known criteria what is spam or not.
This seems to happen quite often in the workplace. Maybe you’ve even been involved in an e-tattling attempt? Someone emails a coworker with a request. When the request is not responded to, declined or denied — Katie bar the doors!
Do you show a blatant disregard for your contact’s privacy? How would you feel if your contacts whether business or personal, decided to take your phone number and give it out to strangers? Strangers who you don’t know!
