Email Habits

I often wonder what I do all day in front of the computer. For now I’ll just take a quick look at my email habits. I spend a lot time writing them.
My sent folder tells me I’ve fired off over 1,000 emails since Jan. 1, 2005, half of which are recreational: planning rides with friends, swapping links, catching up with the Moms.
The remaining half of my sent mail is work-related. It looks like 250 of them are the usual back-and-forth project correspondence: lists of changes for a website, confirmations and questions–all boring but essential stuff.
It’s the remaining 250 emails that I’m really interested in. These are the letters of introductions to new clients, discussions with designers, mailing list posts, networking, tips and tutorials for friends. I consider this all work in the sense that I’m producing something valuable, making an investment and learning something new.
They aren’t work in the sense that I get paid by the hour for them, or that they’re a chore. I think these emails probably account for a good 10 hours a week of my time, but I think of them as good practice, as investments.
They are good practice in that I make a point of using proper grammar, spelling, i.e. coherent English, something I’ve tried to keep on top of since my professional writing days. It’s a constant challenge to write at the right level, balancing clarity, scope and brevity.
A novice web designer friend wants to know how to optimize a new site for search engines, or I want to ask an established designer for advice on choosing a school. For the former I need to be descriptive enough to offer concrete and manageable advice while the latter would likely appreciate succinctness, some background and enthusiasm.
I’m interested in communicating as effectively as possible. It’s embarrassing how long I’ll spend writing and rewriting, researching and confirming a three-paragraph email. But it gets easier, in a way; or rather, the quality improves. That’s the investment. It’s a good habit to write good email.
I’ve never managed my time well, but I’m still working, even if it isn’t for money.