Everything you need to keep your inbox at zero.
Having a clear inbox is imperative for my email organization … and pretty much my sanity.
With this approach, a zero inbox means that everything has a place. Emails organized in folders allow me to quickly find contacts, notes and expectations for deliverables associated with each project.
Now this post is going to be a catch all guide to managing your inbox. Tips are ordered from beginner friendly to email savvy, for entry level and leadership level roles alike. I use a lot of this tips in my work life, and because they are so helpful I’ve also adopted a few of them in my personal life. Let’s dive in!
1. Decide the best time for you to check emails
There’s no stopping the frequency at which most of us receive emails. Even on slow days there’s still a constant flow of promotional and spam emails that require our attention. Even though I may check my email throughout the day, I like to have a set time each day where I go through my email closely.
Right before the close of the work day I ensure that every email has been read, replied to (when possible), and organized into a folder or deleted.
2. Know when to delete vs archive emails
If you have any emails just sitting in your inbox that are no longer relevant, you *should* delete them. On the other hand, if you have emails that you may not need right now, but may want to refer to them in the future then you can archive them. How do you know which approach to take?
The way I determine which approach to take is by asking myself whether or not I will want to refer to this email later. If I don’t have a reason to refer to the email or if it is not relevant to my work, I will delete it. Otherwise I will archive the remaining emails.
It’s worth mentioning that I archive way more emails than I delete. I’ve referred to archived emails months after the initial email was sent.
3. Unsubscribe from promotional emails or email lists that are not necessary
If you ever open an email and feel disconnected from the content of the email, you should probably use that as your notice to unsubscribe from that mailing list. Now, there’s nothing is wrong with a promotional email here and there. But if the subject matter no longer interests you or doesn’t align with the things you have going, then it is time to say goodbye.
4. Do a deep clean of your inbox at least once a week
Things can slip through the cracks – even if you are checking your email daily. Do you ever open an email and respond in your mind? Yea, it’s easy to forget that you never actually pressed send on email that you were supposed to reply to.
Every Monday morning, before the start of my work day, I do my own deep clean of my inbox. If there is anything left over from last week I can take care of it before starting the new work week.
5. Create folders
This function is the key to leveling up your email organization. On Gmail its called “labels”, but the job is still the same as other platforms. You can create as many folders as you like. The title for your folders is totally up to you. It can be helpful to organize the folders based on your workflow so that it harmonizes with other systems you have in place. In my case, one way I like to organize is based on the status of the task: completed, pending, not started.
6. Immediately respond to emails that will take less than 2 minutes
Trust me on this one. Reduce clutter in your inbox by avoiding procrastination. If something will take less than 2 minutes to respond to, do it right away. This will prevent you from having to come back to forgotten emails. Also, it will leave time for those more time consuming emails.
7. Create a system for emails you can’t get to right away
You can flag the email. Mark it unread. Move it to a folder for priority emails. You have options here. Whichever option you choose, have a system in place for how and when you plan to attend to those emails.
8. Incorporate automation by setting up email filters
Filter emails so they can automatically go into the correct folder. This level of automation feels similar to having your bills on autopay. It takes the work out of manually categorizing your email after reviewing it. Based on a search criteria of your choosing- subject line, email sender, email respondents, keywords, etc. – filtered emails can go straight into an assigned folder.
With these tips you can achieve email organization like a pro. Comment below with the tip you plan to implement into your routine!
While on the topic, check out my recent post about the ways metadata is a useful practice for improving organization.
Live abundantly,
Bethany
