Time Tips: E-mail Tip #1

I replied to an e-mail with incorrect information, looked up the correct information, then sent an e-mail with the correction. Notice, the steps are out of order. I don't know why I did it that way.

Had I looked up the information first, I would have saved myself the additional time incurred by sending a second e-mail. But, it's not just my time wasted by making three steps out of two.

The other person will likely:

• Read my wrong e-mail.
• Look up the correct information.
• Compose and send me a reply, which includes typing in the correct information that I already had.
• Read my correction e-mail.
• Send me a second reply.

Had I done things in the correct order, this whole seven-step process would have been reduced to three steps--none of which would take very long. Instead, we have more than twice as many steps plus duplication of labor.

I also had a thought that I could have called this person to say my first e-mail contained the wrong date. But that would probably just be an eighth step and one that would take at least 20 minutes--quick phone calls just aren't human nature.

The lesson? Take the time to look up the correct information and then review your outgoing e-mail for completeness--before you send that e-mail. Otherwise, you will spend more time correcting for the time you "saved" by not preparing that e-mail properly.