Reduce Email Burden With the Rule of Three Letters
You can be more productive by spending less time explaining by email . By setting a limit on how many times you are willing to discuss something via email, you can reduce your workload and avoid misunderstandings.
Emails can turn into long chains of messages that fill your inbox and eat up precious hours of work. Phil Simon, author of the message , ” Message received” , recommends the use of the “rule of three emails”:
Simply put, after three messages, it’s time to speak. You will find that rule in my email signature … I follow the three-letter rule. In three we talk.
Limiting the email conversation to three emails – and telling the other party about it in your signature – will make you and the other party as clear as possible in your emails. He will also let you know when it’s time to pick up the phone or go to their office to clear things up. However, Simon notes that it can be used as a guideline as well, as some issues require a little more attention. However, this rule can help reduce the number of incoming messages and avoid future misunderstandings.
The Rule of Three Letters – The Key To Solving Your Biggest Inbox Problem | Business Insider