HOLIDAYS may be a time for relaxing and watching sport but too often it can take an Olympic effort just to get through your inbox when you return after a fortnight off.

Previously you could be sure that your colleagues would handle phone calls and post, and dutifully deal with problems in your absence.

But email is a different beast. Although it has become one of the most important tools in business, it is still seen as quite a personal medium, and so without specific instruction to the contrary, your co-workers will not necessarily go through your inbox.

And with dozens, if not hundreds, of emails received each day, that inbox can require a real weeding effort on your return.

The task is made considerably worse if the sender hasn't thought carefully about the reasoning behind and the format of the message.

One business report last year by industry analysts Gartner found that as much as 60 per cent of the working day can be taken up with sending, reading and dealing with emails a large burden by any standards.

But too many people are lax about the emails they send, not paying them anywhere near as much attention as a letter on company headed paper even though both forms of communication are representing the firm from which they are sent.

So, as you are faced with the expansive bog of email to wade through, it's an appropriate time to freshen up on how your email can be as effective as possible.

Business Link Berkshire and Wiltshire's e-business advisor Andy Poulton said: "Your email is a significant part of your professional image.

"If you want to impress on every front and build positive business relationships, it's worth paying close attention to your email and considering the impact it can have on the recipient."

As well as playing a part in the image of a company, there are also basic rules to follow that can make your emails easier for the recipient to deal with.