How many emails can flood your In Box before they overwhelm you? A survey by Intermedia determined that the number is 50.Working with Harris Interactive, Intermedia, which provides hosted Microsoft Exchange services, found found that 94% of small business employees can handle receiving 50 or fewer emails each day. While four out of five individuals can now manager their work email, one in five feels overwhelmed at the office. Individuals who have smartphones are most likely to be buried by their In Boxes: 37 percent of them cannot keep up with their mail compared to only 12 percent of employees who do not have smartphones. Yet while smartphones have become more popular recently, most workers do not have them: only 38% of employees work with the devices.

While small and medium business cannot keep email messages from arriving, so what are some possible ways to avoid overload? Intermedia recommends getting yourself a system. First, create folders for different work activities and then file incoming emails appropriately. Next, prioritize your email and respond to the most time sensitive ones first. Also, Keep responses to emails concise and focus on addressing the questions asked in the emails that need answers. Last, complete emails that can be answered quickly and easily and later work with those requiring more time. In the end, these steps will help your employees control their email systems, rather than vice versa.