Does managing the vast number of emails you receive feel overwhelming?
With just a few best practices, it’s possible to get, and keep, your inbox under control.
My Story
Like almost everyone else, on a daily basis, I get tons of emails, both personal and professional.
Unless I manage emails daily, it’s only a short time before the number of emails in my inbox number in the thousands.
Although there have been times I’ve simply closed my eyes and deleted everything, it kind of makes me ill to do so. I live in fear of deleting something important.
Over time I’ve developed some best practices that help me manage the daily deluge of emails.
So, when my cousin Katy said, “you really need to write a post on how to manage emails”, I jumped on it.
Because an overabundance of emails is something pretty much all of us have in common.
Develop a Process.
Repetitive tasks are always easier to manage if there is a process.
Since managing your inbox is a repetitive task, having a process makes that task easier.
To effectively manage emails, develop a process that works for you.
Keep the Process Simple.
Have a set time to check emails.
Checking emails all day every day is mentally draining.
Instead, have a set time of day dedicated to opening and managing emails.
Professionally, I check emails after lunch and at the end of the day.
I check my personal email account at night.
Start by deleting any email you know you don’t need to open.
Deleting unwanted, semi-junk and junk emails eliminates a huge percentage of emails.
Next, knock out the easy stuff.
Act on any email that can be dealt with in minutes.
Get it done and out of your inbox.
Finish with the more time-consuming emails.
These are the emails that will take longer to deal with or will require follow up action.
Hopefully, this is the smallest percentage of your emails.
Move all emails out of your inbox.
If it’s safe to delete them, and you won’t need to refer back to them, delete them.
For emails to which you may need to refer back, move them to a saved folder (more on folders later).
Move emails needing follow up to a follow up folder.
For these emails, I write down what I need to do on a tablet I keep on my desk. It’s old-fashioned, but it works for me.
Don’t use your inbox as a task manager.
Simply leaving an email in your inbox will not serve as a reminder to do something. When the email that’s supposed to serve as your reminder is 17 days back, it is as good as gone.
That’s why it’s important to have a to do folder.
Don’t use too many folders.
Utilize a minimum number of folders. It’s often difficult to locate an email when you use too many folders.
Instead, use one follow up folder, and one generic folder.
Mine are called, to do and keep. Ninety percent of my emails go in those two folders.
For a few very specific things, I have very specific folders.
If managing the vast number of emails you receive daily leaves you feeling overwhelmed, take control of your inbox, instead of letting it take control of you.
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What is Micki’s Little Letter?
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