For the past couple of months I've configured my Outlook client to automatically insert [Save our in-boxes! http://emailcharter.org] as my email signature. I found this helps me work on my own bad habits. I noticed on multiple occasions, just prior to hitting the Send button, this signature reminded me to shorten the text of my email, avoid open ended questions, remove unnecessary attachments, strip irrelevant prior email thread text, take out unnecessary recipients from cc: line and change the subject line to reflect the content.
There is still plenty of room for improvement in my approach to email, and somehow I am beginning to feel more in control. It feels better. Now if only more of us made an effort.
On the other hand, looking at generation Y, perhaps this will not be an issue in future... Email for them is like fax for many of us.
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