I'm not sure how other people's jobs go, but I have just spent the past hour dealing with e-mails alone. Only e-mails, and I receive about 75 a day, that absolutely need to be responded to. And if I slack, I miss something. The e-mail has turned into an almost ESP device. People expect you to receive it as they send it, and are surprised when you don't pop back in return. My students are the worst. If anybody out there is a student, I have some friendly advice for you:
1. Always address your prof/instructor with a proper greeting- No "hey" and no skipping greetings all together
2. Always explain who you are, even if the teacher knows you well, it is often difficult to figure out your identity from your e-mail address
3. Stop thinking we are stupid!! We can see the tricks- like the quick e-mail in hopes that the teacher won't figure out your identity, or the lies- god, the lies. Just because its on e-mail and we can't see your eyes- doesn't mean it is easier to lie!
I got a student today who claims, oh, never mind, he's lying to me. I'm far more likely to give the truthful kid who has a silly crisis a make-up exam, than the liar who feels his story isn't good enough. I was willing to give a make-up exam to a student with a broken heart! If he had lied and said somebody had died, he would have been much more unlikely...
Okay, I'm rambling.
I'll think of more rules later, I haven't even had my coffee yet.