I wrote last week about organizing one’s thoughts on paper, as well as one’s stuff.  And speaking of  organizing one’s thoughts on paper, I have a particular pet peeve about the lack thereof when it comes to  forwarding  emails we receive. 

I don’t know about you, but I receive dozens of FW’d email messages from friends, acquaintances, and people I have never even met. You know, the emails with all the addresses from everyone else who also received the same message? Addresses left over from previous recipients  who didn’t take the time to protect others’ privacy before sending the message forward. Ugh.

Well, even if it is absolutely the best political cartoon or funniest joke you have ever heard in your life, before you hit the ’send’ button to everyone in your address book, STOP. Don’t be a villain. Be an email hero and do two things:

1. Delete all of the other addresses that are still in the body of the message. (You must remember to click the ‘Forward’ button first to be able to edit it.)
2. Rather than using the ‘To:’ or ‘Cc:’ fields, always use ’BCC:’ Your message will automatically say ‘Undislosed Recipients’ in the ‘To:’ field. This way, you won’t be sharing email addresses with every other person out there.

Congratulations! You have just become an email hero; keeping your address book safe from unscrupulous strangers. Don’t let yourself or your friends become victims. 

Until next time,

Happy organizing!