home :: new
time deferral - mail.app edition
This is likely the 15th year of business-focused email for me. I understand that leading by example is a powerful management tool, but I think many managers forget to also communicate their expectations around email. Some open ideas around email that should be discussed:
  • How are the To, CC, and BCC fields to be used?
  • What is the policy for attachments?
  • Is rich text needed?
  • Should detailed communication be carried out in email (many points, many expectations)?
  • What is the expectation for "FYI" email?
  • Should arguments and debate be carried out past the third, fourth, or fifth reply?
  • What is the policy about "CYA" email?
  • What is the after hour policy around email?
Over time, I've realized that some emails are no longer productive. These tend to cluster around issues that continue to be debated well into the fifth or sixth reply, topics that invite extra work after hours, and knowing the pattern of the sender. I've decided that in many cases, increasing the delay in response helps control some of these issues. I have cobbled together some tools to provide a feature for deferring email in OSX Mail.App using the Drafts folder, Automator, iCal, and the Mail Scripts add-ons. Download Mail Scripts to get started.

Mail Scripts will be installed in you Applications directory.

Open Automator, find the "Launch Application"; then navigate to "Send all Drafts"

Choose the "Save As Plugin"

Choose "iCal Alarm"

The resulting file will be in your Library / Workflows

Now, just simply set up an iCal event and have it "Open the File"

When your event fires off, anything in your Mail.app "Drafts" folder will be sent. Use with appropriate care. I would not reccomend using this as a recurring event as you may forget. You should also run a couple of tests to get past the Apple well-intended security effort to ask you about running content coming from the Internet.

 
search web like this:
here:  movieclub ::  photos ::  aboutus ::  wedding ::  family ::  mo ::  b ::  stats
others:  savoir ::  cow ::  telnet ::  xunux ::  dotpipe ::  foo ::  vball ::  merchandise
hacks:  find a library (add zipcode) »:: gVisit - tracker »:: Trouble Viewing 32 Bit Alpha Channel PNG files? »