Five more tricks for the e-mail pro(ductivity)

Tired from compiling e-mail tips (See my post of Aug. 26, 2009: 30 e-mail suggestions.), I staggered on and found some more. These come from the Harv. Bus. Rev., Sept. 2009 at 88.

1. “To eliminate the need for recipients to open very short messages, put the entire contents in the subject line, followed by ‘eom” (end of message).”

2. Send less e-mail. “An outgoing message generates, on average, roughly two responses.

3. Consider software called Postware. It “requires employees to affix a noncash ‘stamp’ to each internal e-mail they send, drawing from a fixed daily allotment.”

4. Always use an away message if you are not going to be able to respond in your typical time.

5. Consider creating a weekly “e-mail-free morning”: a ban on sending messages within the department to carve out an extended stretch of relatively uninterrupted time.