Released on = June 4, 2007, 1:41 pm

Press Release Author = Evan Carmichael

Industry = Small Business

Press Release Summary = It's 9 a.m. on Monday morning. You arrive at work after a
relaxing weekend with your family, refreshed and ready for the week ahead. That is,
at least, until you turn on your computer. There it is, the number you have been
dreading since late Friday afternoon; the number that seems to kill your week before
it has even begun: 800. No, it's not the number of hits your website received, nor
the number of products your company has sold. You have 800.new emails.

Press Release Body = June 4, 2007 (Toronto, CA) -- It's 9 a.m. on Monday morning.
You arrive at work after a relaxing weekend with your family, refreshed and ready
for the week ahead. That is, at least, until you turn on your computer. There it is,
the number you have been dreading since late Friday afternoon; the number that seems
to kill your week before it has even begun: 800. No, it's not the number of hits
your website received, nor the number of products your company has sold. You have
800.new emails.

You begin to wonder who the brilliant mind behind this technology was. If email is
supposed to be improving your productivity, how come you feel like you are falling
behind before you have even gotten started?

According to entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael, if you feel that way, you are
not alone. "For many small business owners, email is their main means of
communication," he says. "But because of the sheer quantity they receive, they can
get lost and feel even more burdened than they already are with the other aspects of
running their own company."

The solution? Make email work for you, not against you. "As entrepreneurs, time is
our most important commodity, and we can't afford to waste it," says Carmichael.
"Email can definitely boost your productivity at work, but only if you, in turn, are
using it productively."

The very first step to conquer the email enemy is to set aside a certain time during
the day or the week to check your inbox. "There are few emails that are so important
that you have to reply instantly," says Carmichael. "Schedule a time to check your
email just as you would schedule a meeting. Whether it's one hour a day, or a couple
hours every Monday, restricting how often you read your email will help make sure it
is not taking over your work week." To that end, Carmichael also suggests closing
your mail program until you plan on checking it, so that the constant arrival of new
messages is not distracting.

Second, entrepreneurs should try as hard as possible to eliminate spam, making sure
that the emails they do spend time checking are actually important ones that need
attention. Software security firm Symantec reports that in February 2007, 80 percent
of email received in the U.S. could be classified as junk. "Because they don't have
big budgets or full-time tech staff, small business owners can be particularly
vulnerable to spam," says Carmichael. "But, everyone has access to anti-spam
programs, and should learn to use them."

Junk mail should also never be deleted, but rather used to create rules in your mail
program to filter out those unwanted addresses. And, companies should make sure they
have a formal written email policy. "Employees need to know when to use company
email addresses and when not to," says Carmichael.

Finally, small business owners need to set an example of how to properly use email
for the rest of their staff. "Always be brief," says Carmichael. "If you find you're
writing a short story, then email probably isn't the way to go." Also, refuse to
continue the chains of forwarded emails, and don't respond to letters that just
aren't worth your time.

"Forget passing on the forward that reads 'The Top Ten Ways to Get Rich Quick,'"
says Carmichael. "Focus on getting the proper systems and schedules in place, and
you'll get there in your own time."

###

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at
evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. Evan\'s website,
Web Site = http://www.evancarmichael.com

Contact Details = Evan Carmichael & Associates
http://www.evancarmichael.com