Strategies for dealing with email overload:

1. Set aside specific times during the day for responding to student email. This strategy helps me feel like I’m not continually answering emails. Batching the task also helps it go faster and take less brainpower than switching between email and other work.

2. Create a FAQ discussion board on Blackboard where students can post questions and you can respond. This strategy saves you time spent responding to the same question from different students and gives other students the chance to help their peers. You can set the discussion board up to let students post anonymously.

3. If a student email requires a lengthy response, ask students if you could “meet” instead. You can often save time (and several emails back-and-forth) by moving to videoconference (or audio-only if the student has limited technology access). This strategy also gives you a chance to check in with students who seem to be struggling.

** Tips and suggestions provided by Dr. Carrie Anne Platt, associate director College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences