Organized Charm: How I Keep My Email Inbox at 0

Saturday, October 21, 2017

How I Keep My Email Inbox at 0

Today, I thought I would share my email system with you!


Let me start by saying… I am not the biggest fan of emails in general. If my inbox is not always at zero, I feel a tiny bit of stress. 

(I guess that’s better than letting it get to 2,000 and not caring, right?)


When I tell people this, they a) look at me like I’m nuts and b) ask me how I do it. 


So this is how I do it:


1. I Use Gmail

Or “Google Mail”, for those who may be technologically un-savvy (*ahem* my husband). This is one of my favorite apps out there! I keep it front and center on my phone where I can make sure there are no little red bubbles waiting for me! 

2. I Use the Gmail App

I love the app because I get notifications of new emails in real time. I used to use the 5S rule for answering emails (5 sentences or less) and it worked really well! However, at this new job, the emails that we all write are a little longer (and more polite), which is totally fine, too! I just block out a little time to sit down at a real computer if I need to write multiple paragraphs! 

3. I Keep Gmail Accounts Separate

I have been using gmail for my personal account for years. This past year, my school switched over all of our school emails to gmail (haaal-le-lu-jah) and it has made life SO much easier! All I have to do to flip between the two accounts is click on them in the top right corner- no signing in or out! :) 



4. I Keep Email Alerts On

I like my emails to be as “in my face” as possible when I look at my phone. I have them set to do the whole “pop up” thing with a snippet of the content. This way, I am forced to deal with it right away. 

(Related: Is Your Planner System Working Best for YOU?)



5. I Star Emails That Require Action

When I get an email that I can’t deal with right away, I star it. If it’s to me personally, I might write the person back and let them know I’ll work on it and when it will be ready. Then it drives me crazy until I can finally complete whatever task was needed. I use these as a working to-do list throughout the day/week and I can’t wait to get rid of them!

(Related: How to Prep Your Planner for Finals NOW!)

6. I Unsubscribe ALL the Time

It seems like overtime you order anything online these days, they somehow use that to wrangle you onto their email list. Every month, I make a point to unsubscribe from a certain number of email subscriptions. Save your favorites, of course! 

(Related: Monthly Decluttering Checklist)



7. I Archive Everything

I learned this when I used to work for attorneys. NEVER DELETE AN EMAIL. After you’ve dealt with it, archive it. Then you can always go back and search for it again in the archive search feature. Exception to this rule: advertisements (unsubscribe then delete)!

8. Inbox 0 is Always My Goal

Goals are everything. I am always working toward reaching Inbox 0 throughout the day. I've found that, if I have this expectation for myself, it's much easier to achieve it! If that's too stressful, start out with Inbox 10 or Inbox 5 and try to slowly make your goal lower and lower!

(Related: 5 Anti-Procrastination Tips to Improve Your Week!)


Also, if you don’t use gmail at your work or school, you can always use the POP feature (under gmail settings) to forward emails from your other email address to your gmail account. I’ve done that before, too, and it’s way easier than checking three different accounts every day! 

I’m sure there are some real rules out there for keeping up with emails, but these are just the things that have worked best for me! :) 

What tips/tricks do you have for staying on top of your emails? Share them below!! 


7 comments:

  1. First, I want to complement this site administrator for creating this platform I frequently get cold sores(which lasts for 5-6 days on my lips and its painful both physically and mentally) .. As a bodybuilder, I basically get outbreak due to the daily pressure and heat in the body.. Recently I stumbled upon my salvation. I found a herbal remedy to cure hsv completely, in just 4weeks ..

    I got to know about Dr Utu after seeing a lady's testimony online. I reached the doctor and I ordered for herpes herbal medicine. He sent the herbs to me and I started making use of them. In just 2days, the cold sores are cleared. 4weeks after medication, I went to the hospital for test of cold sores and it was completely NEGATIVE.

    By following every prescription, i was able to cure my cold sore in less than 4weeks. 100% natural herbs no after effect.
    Note: Please do let others know if this work for you.
    The doctor's email is drutuherbalcure@gmail.com
    Note : follow all instructions accordingly..

    If you are sure that you have benefited from this African herbs be courageous to inform others.
    Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would like to thank Ultimate Life Clinic for reversing my father's Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). My father’s ALS condition was fast deteriorating before he started on the ALS Herbal medicine treatment from Ultimate Life Clinic. He was on the treatment for just 6 months and we never thought my father will recover so soon. He has gained some weight in the past months and he is able to walk with no support. You can reach them through there website www.ultimatelifeclinic.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Within a few days my results were back and my diagnosis confirmed.... I had HSV2. I felt angry and betrayed because he had not been honest with me and I had a feeling that he knew he had it based on how he responded when I gave him the news.Fast forward to a year down the track and I finally broke free of my drug addiction and my extremely toxic relationship, but I felt tainted and overwhelmed now more than ever by this condition. So I sucked it up and decided I would not live like this - despite every person I talked to about it saying that herpes was incurable, once you had it you had it for the rest of your life, blah blah blah. I knew this was bullshit. Deep down I trusted my body and I wasn't about to let anyone tell me what was and was not possible for me to achieve once I set my mind to it. I placed an order on Herbalist RAZOR Herbal Medicine for Curing the virus Through His YouTube Channel @ HERBALIST RAZOR and it worked the magic, Herbalist RAZOR is a Godsent to mankind, Visit his website : https://herbalistrazorherb.wixsite.com/drrazorherbalhome . Email Herbalist RAZOR via herbalistrazorherbalhome@gmail.com WhatsApp/Call directly via +2349065420442.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great tips on keeping your email inbox at 0! I especially appreciate your emphasis on taking action immediately and setting up filters. With Fiber Home Internet, I can easily access and manage my inbox from anywhere. Thanks for the helpful advice!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Keeping an organized inbox is important, but prioritizing our health is crucial. Remote medical consultation, like those offered by Meri Sehat's online medical services, offer easy access to experienced doctors and physicians for timely medical care. With their user-friendly platform, managing our health has never been easier.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing your tips on keeping your email inbox at 0. As a student seeking someone to "write my dissertation for me", I struggle with managing my inbox. Your strategies have inspired me to implement better email habits. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for providing this amazing blog such a wonderful article post i am really impressed by this stuff such an amazing content post manufacturing erp software in Saudi Arabia

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...