5 More Ways to End Email Drama

As you pay close attention to these email guidelines, you'll see how to make your own email messages more readable and easily understood. This is continued from the July 20 post on email for a total of 10 Ways to End Email Drama.

6. White space directs the eye. Email messages are not as easy on the eyes as letters are. You need to use lot's of white space to draw the reader to what you are writing. Cluttered messages are stressing. Make sure there is a blank line between each paragraph, and make your paragraphs short.

7. No reverse typeface. Reverse typeface means white letters on a dark background. This type of layout is more difficult to read. Avoid it.

8. Use bold for emphasis. Underlining words creates additional clutter and WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS is screaming at your reader, not a pleasant experience. After bolding, italicizing is the second best way to draw attention to key words.

9. Subheadings clarify. If you're like me, you're in a hurry when you read and when you write. That's the root cause of most email drama anyway. A one to three-word subheading to your paragraph makes your meaning more evident. Capitalize the first word of your subheading.

10. Use bullets or checklists. A checklist is a good way to provide important information in a condensed format. Either a checklist or a string of bullet points helps you to organize your own thinking and make your meaning easier to capture.

Imagine your work life with no email drama. Think of all you can now accomplish!

Find Life's Hidden Meanings

"In times when passions are beginning to take charge of the conduct of human affairs, one should pay less attention to what men of experience and common sense are thinking than to what is preoccupying the imagination of dreamers" -- Alexis de Toqueville in Democracy in America.

I have an e-friend, that means we haven't actually met but we took a wonderful e-course together, Great Big Dreams, in the spring with Christine Kane. Her name is Marcia and she strongly recommended this book to our group, The Three Only Things (yes, I know it's got a really odd title.) I am so glad she did because it is not something I would ordinarily read, but I am enjoying it immensely!

The book's subtitle is "Tapping to power of dreams, coincidence, and imagination." The author, Robert Moss, is also a novelist, a history professor and a foreign news correspondent. My kind of Renaissance guy.

This book is about irrational, or supernatural messages that may come to us in the form of dreams (remember the story about Joseph and the fat cows and the skinny cows?,) or seemingly random encounters. In essence, his work validates the notion, when you're ready to learn, the teacher will appear. If you have a question, the answer will come, but maybe not in the form you expected. He gives such interesting examples from a variety of times and cultures.

One incredible example came from the life history of Winston Churchill. Our image of this man is the perfect statesman, who rallied the British to such courage during World War II. Well, it turns out this man was addicted to flying small planes, not the safest of past times, especially in the early twentieth century. His wife, Clemmie, was desperate for him to stop flying, especially when she was pregnant with their third child. It was not, however, until she had a really spooky dream, not about flying but about their baby, that he promised to stop flying, at least until the child was born. That was in 1914 (90-91).

If you are an admirer of Carl Jung's work, you will particularly enjoy this delightful book. I'll soon have a direct link, but in the meantime, just click on any of the book covers below on the side to order it from Amazon.

Read

5 Ways to More Effective Email

Ever hit the “reply” button when you meant to hit the “forward” button?

Of course you’re familiar with email drama. Perhaps you got yourself involved in one yourself, where the misinterpretation of a message, or one that got sent to the wrong person, spun off into a totally unproductive soap opera segment.

First of all remember everything you write can be used against you, even by someone you never met. Second of all, don't take your received messages so seriously!

1. Think first. Before you initiate a thread, carefully consider what you really want to communicate, what emotion you want to share, and the personality of your intended recipient. Make sure you wouldn’t do better by calling the person, or sending a longer, more formal letter. If you’re replying, see if your reply really is necessary. Sometimes we get copied on messages that are only slightly relevant to us.

2. Edit. Never hit “send” without re-reading your message at least once. If you’re not a good speller, use spell check to give a more professional image. Even a simple message of “no” can be improved to “no, thank you anyway.”

3. Review emotional content. If you’re feeling great, no worries. But, if you’re concerned or angry about something, even if it’s totally unrelated to the message, you’ll probably send negative emotional content without intending to do so. Don’t write email when you’re upset.

4. Control time spent in checking email. Before you automatically start your day by checking email, consider if the early hour would be better spent doing something else. What are your real priorities for the day? Postpone email until later in the morning, and don’t check it every five minutes. If you’re expecting an urgent reply, call the person.

5. Interpret with care. If you find yourself offended by an email, file it to look at again at a later time. Remember everyone tends to be stressed and busy. Give the sender every benefit of the doubt. If you still feel bad, call the person and ask him or her to explain more carefully the message.

The Optimist's Creed

What does a green house have to do with optimism? I think it's an optimistically green home and to boot, very attractive. I took this picture last week in El Hatillo, right outside of Caracas.

This creed was written by Christian D. Larson in 1912. I understand the Optimist's Club uses an adaptation for its organizational mission. It's still worth reading, almost 100 years later.

Promise Yourself....

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

Christmas in July

Yes, dear readers, I know it's only the middle of July. But getting a head start on Christmas shopping is both smart and fun. And relaxed. Browsing through the August isses of one of my favorite magazines, Domino, I'm passing on 5 gift ideas all at good prices and in excellent taste.

1. This could be for that difficult-to-shop-for teenage boy: a green and white Finnish dartboard. $48 kioskkiosk.com.

2. Opinel knife from France. This family business has been making knives since 1890. #VRN10 has a folding blade and a beechwood handle. Just under $12. discountcutlery.net.

3. Toy wooden skyscrapers "New York." The highest one is 4 inches tall. Priced at $14 for 14 pieces. Muji Soho. 212.334.2002.

4. Thick canvas storage bin with handles in a chic black and white bead print. 12.5 x 8 x 10.5 inches. Regular price is $98 but if you buy the magazine there is a special offer to get 20% off (page122). hableconstruction.com

5. A doormat made of recycled flip flops! Very nice design. Regular price $89 for the 3 x 5 foot size but there's also a 20% discount for Domino readers. vivaterra.com

Mixonian also recommends books as gifts and there are four specific recommendations down on the left of the blog. We welcome other gift ideas from readers. Happy Friday!

What A Great Boss Looks Like

Well....this picture was not taken at work, but Maria Luisa is a fantastic boss. It has nothing to do with her being beautiful or chic. She is an effective leader because she sees her job as making her team successful, and at the same time she is aware of the big picture of the entire organization and how she and the teachers who work under her, fit into that larger organization, which happens to be Merici Academy.

Maria Luisa doesn't tell people what do to. She makes the teachers' objectives clear, and then she asks how she can help them achieve those objectives. She does not worry about doing tasks that do not fit her image as head of the English department. She can provide grammar exercises or tests, help grade papers, or even do substitute teaching, whatever is needed.

She doesn't shy about correcting mistakes or deviations from established norms. She simply states what needs to be fixed, without any accompanying drama.

She is open to new ideas, and will usually encourage those who work under her to try different perspectives and tools. She has a wardrobe full of dress-up clothes for teachers and students alike, that are used for different class dramatizations.

The thing about working under Maria Luisa is that you know she is always on your side. Thank you!