Could This One Tiny Change to How You Write Emails Make You More Productive and Less Stressed?

Email is crucial for professional communication in today's digital age. Yet, reading and processing the enormous number of emails we receive daily drains time and energy, making us more stressed and less productive.

While we cannot immediately reduce the volume and increase the quality of the emails we receive, we can improve the emails we send.

One way we can do this is by learning to BLUF.

What is BLUF?

BLUF stands for "bottom line up front". Perhaps unsurprisingly, this communication approach originated in the military. An army leadership training text explains:

"What is your bottom line (your position, conclusion, or recommendation)? Put it upfront at the beginning. Arrange your writing, speech, or briefing so your audience can quickly and easily understand your intent." (Command and General Staff School, US Army Command and General Staff College, 2009).

The Benefits of BLUF

BLUF allows you to get straight to the point. The most crucial information in your email is less likely to be skimmed over; your email is clearer. You save your readers time, making them more likely to respond promptly.

Why We BLAB and Don’t BLUF

So why do we tend to BLAB (put the "bottom line at the bottom") rather than BLUF? We want to avoid appearing rude or abrupt. How often do you type an email that starts with "Dear X, I hope this email finds you well..."?

BLUF emails can be courteous – include your well wishes at the end of the message, for example, "Thank you for your time and consideration, best wishes..."

BLUF is suitable for most business communications, but there are exceptions. For example, don't use BLUF when emailing about a sensitive topic.

Over to You

Why not try BLUF in your next few emails? Concise, well–structured emails take a little more time to write, but it will save you and your email recipient hours in the long run.

Let me know how you get on.

References

Command and General Staff School, US Army Command and General Staff College (2009) Writing and Speaking Skills for Army Leaders, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas [Online]. Available at https://home.army.mil/wood/application/files/7115/5751/8344/ST_22–2_Leader_Communication.pdf.