4 Annoying Tasks You Can Automate Right Now
Odds are that right now you’re doing a handful of tasks manually that you don’t need to, like sorting through an endless e-mail inbox. According to Microsoft, employees spend just under two hours daily on e-mail – that’s more than eight hours a week spent in your inbox instead of on more creative or strategic projects.
But many organizations have found a way off the relentless merry-go-round of to-dos: automation. By using software to manage repetitive tasks (without human intervention), you can complete your to-do list faster, spending less time on menial tasks and more time doing the projects you enjoy.
Task #1: Get Your Inbox To Zero
(Without Wasting A Day Of Your Life)
E-mail is essential to our work today, but managing an overflowing inbox is an endless job. Automation tools, however, can quickly organize and prioritize e-mails, schedule responses and even convert e-mails to actionable tasks.
Here are a few ways to automate your e-mail tasks:
• Automating inbox organization. In every mainstream e-mail platform, you can create filters and rules. Start by setting up filters in your e-mail to automatically sort incoming e-mails based on criteria like sender, subject or specific keywords. For instance, e-mails containing the word “invoice” can be directed straight to a designated folder.
• Use labels and categorization. Most e-mail platforms have an automatic label feature that helps you categorize e-mails more dynamically than folders will allow. You can apply multiple labels to a single e-mail, making it easier to retrieve e-mails that may fall into several categories.
• Scheduling and automating e-mail responses. Delayed send or scheduling tools automatically send your e-mails at predetermined times, which can be particularly useful for reaching recipients in different time zones. Write now, send later.
• Automate task creation from e-mails. Automation services can integrate your e-mail with project management tools and automatically convert incoming e-mails into actionable tasks, so you never miss an important action item!
• Utilizing AI and advanced automation. If you want to level up your e-mail automation, some automation tools let you use AI to label new e-mails based on their content, which can streamline how you prioritize and handle incoming messages.
Task #2: Catalog New Materials
• Utilize integrated library systems (ILS) with automated cataloging features that can import metadata directly from publishers or other libraries. These systems can reduce the need for manual entry, ensuring that new books, e-books, and other materials are quickly and accurately added to the catalog.
• Saves staff time and minimizes errors in data entry, allowing for faster availability of new materials to patrons.
Task #3: Overdue Notices and Fines Management
• Implement automated notification systems that send out overdue reminders and fine notices via email, SMS, or app notifications. Some systems can also handle fine payments online.
• Reduces the need for staff to manually track and communicate with patrons about overdue items, improving efficiency and patron compliance.
Task #4: Room and Resource Booking
• Deploy online booking systems that allow patrons to reserve study rooms, meeting spaces, and equipment through a user-friendly interface. These systems can manage availability, send confirmation emails, and handle cancellations automatically.
Simplifies the booking process, reduces scheduling conflicts, and provides better tracking of resource usage.
By automating these tasks, library directors and staff can focus more on community engagement, program development, and enhancing the overall patron experience.