---
title: Answering emails
description: It’s so different now, so many decisions to make every day.
---

[The Campbell Academy Blog ](https://www.campbellacademy.co.uk/blog)

# [Answering emails](https://www.campbellacademy.co.uk/blog/answering-emails)

 Written by [Colin Campbell](https://www.campbellacademy.co.uk/blog/author/colin-campbell) | 16/11/22 18:00

So, you open your inbox and there’s 30 emails (unread).

Which do you answer first?

As far as I see it the answers are as follows:

- The most recent – makes no sense to people waiting.
- The oldest – that’s polite but is there any use to you or to them or has it expired?
- The most important – that makes sense but how do you categorise that?
- The biggest opportunity – but if you do that you leave people waiting and the work piles up.
- The biggest opportunity to help – someone’s asking for help and they’re in a hurry, do you help them?

30 years ago, no one had any of these questions to answer.

The mail arrived on their desk and they opened it with a letter opener that someone had bought them when they first got their job 15 years ago because they knew they would be in the same place for a long time.

It’s so different now, so many decisions to make every day.

 

Blog Post Number - 3266

[View full post](https://www.campbellacademy.co.uk/blog/answering-emails)

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