How to Write an Unobnoxious Email

Chances are, the first thing you do at work after clocking in on the online time clock is checked your email. The now nearly 60-year-old technology isn’t exactly the most efficient or beloved form of communication, but it’s what most companies continue to rely on, and, as such, most office jobs require a lot of reading and writing of electronic messages.

With that in mind, here are a few tips to make email work better for you (and your coworkers).

Make subject lines meaningful.

If someone needs to find an email you sent quickly, a subject line reading “Important” or “Meeting Details” isn’t going to help. Use a descriptive subject line so people can find your message later and are more likely to read it in the first place.

Be concise and get to the point.

Again, your recipients aren’t going to read through unimportant information to find relevant news buried deeper in the message. Pare your message down to only the crucial information so that crucial information doesn’t get lost.

Be polite.

That’s just some grade school, Golden Rule stuff. No one takes much heed of an angry or indignant email.

Proofread.

Don’t hit send before reading over your email to make sure your message is clear, accurate and doesn’t leave any important information out.

Sign off simply.

Your Einstein quote is great, but your email recipients don’t need to read it every time you send a message. Get rid of your unwieldy signatures and weird salutations; a simple “Thanks” will suffice in lieu of an awkward “Sincerely” or “Warmest Regards.”