As email becomes more prevalent and increasingly necessary, we need to make sure that basic etiquttes are kept in step with the use of email. This is not simply to avoid misunderstandings but also to ensure we are wise and thoughtful about its use and misuse.
TIP #1 - SEPARATE EMAIL ADDRESSES
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Have at least 2 different email addresses. For example, one for work and the other for personal matters. This is because we do not want to mix the two, to enable us to concentrate on our given tasks on the one hand, and to respond appropriately on the other.
For those of us who prefer only one email address, we can program rules into our email programmes so that they can automatically sort emails into different folders. That way when we are in the office reading office mail, we will not be distracted by personal mails coming into the same mailbox as they will get sorted into the respective folders. Then we can read the personal mails over break time.
TIP #2 - PRAY BEFORE RESPONDING
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Let's face it. There are emails which we tend to reply quickly before any second thoughts. Sometimes we do so at the risk of hurting the other party. We can type a quick response, but keep it in draft mode. Let it thaw or brew for a day or two with prayer. Then send it when after prayer, you still feel a need to respond. Remember that emails once sent, it is gone from your inbox. One sends it knowing that there might be consequences to it.
TIP #3 - TONE OF LANGUAGE
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We are all human in the sense that we are not perfect people. Moreover, one person's innocent words can be a nasty accusation on the other person's integrity or feelings. Controlling the tone in the most loving manner is a mark of maturity.
TIP #4 - LEARN TO DELETE
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Spams and useless messages can continue to fill up our mailbox. We can be easily upset about the types of mails coming in that we do not want to read. Rather than making a big fuss over it, the fastest way is to hit the delete key and forget about it. This is better than to tell the whole world how evil spamming is, which exhausts one from other more important work.
TIP #5 - ADDICTION WASTES TIME
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Like TV and computer games, email can become an addiction that one wastes lots of time reading it. Sometimes it is best to disciplined one to check the mails only at periodic times of the day. One of the touted email advantages is the ability to respond at one's convenient timing. Maximise this benefit. Do not get bogged down by any self-driven need to respond to every mail immediately. Above all, realise that one can get hooked on email and not be able to spend time interacting 'offline' with other people.
Feel free to contribute more tips.
kianseng
2 comments:
hey kian seng,
in the latest Methodist Message, Bishop Solomon also wrote abt email addiction.
he writes:
It is a wise thing to learn from God himself. How does He answer all the prayers that are directed at Him?.........He answers some, delays answering others, and possibly passes by others - at His own pace, and in line with His bigger and more eternal purposes..........He prefers face-to-face relational encounters.
Ming Ying,
To think of how God handles the amount of requests seems to be like God dealing with ever increasing stacks of mail in his Inbox tray.
God is like the Answerer of prayer, the Postman of prayer and the Collector of prayer, all rolled into one. God is one, and his answering and listening is integrated in ways we cannot comprehend. Above all, when each person prays, I can imagine God dropping everything else He is doing and giving undivided attention to that one prayer. How God does that for all continues to baffles me.
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