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3 Essential Email Management Tips to Boost Productivity and Reduce Stress
3 Essential Email Management Tips to Boost Productivity and Reduce Stress
Breon Bradley 07-12-2024 3 min Read
Did you know that on average, people spend 16% of their day reading, responding to, and organizing their emails? The lack of organization often leads to this significant time drain. Today, we’re sharing tips and tricks to help you stay on top of your emails, increase productivity, reduce stress, and make you look awesome.
Creating Folders
Creating Folders
The first and ongoing step in organizing your email is creating folders. These digital folders function like physical filing cabinets, making it easier to find documents and reducing clutter. Studies link clutter to decreased productivity, and a cluttered inbox can have the same effect.
Here are some examples of folders you might create:
Personal: For personal emails you don’t want mixed with other documents.
Boss: For all communications from your boss.
Projects: For project-specific emails.
A useful tip is to create a folder if you have three or more similar emails. Subfolders can also be helpful. To ensure important folders are at the top, title them with an underscore (e.g., _Daily To-Do List). This utilizes the alphanumeric ordering of email programs to your advantage.
Filters and Rules
Filters and Rules
Filters and rules in email are essentially the same thing, with different providers using different terms (e.g., Outlook calls them rules, Gmail calls them filters). These are parameters you set that trigger an automated action when certain criteria are met.
For example, you can create a rule that every email from your boss goes directly into a designated folder. This prevents important emails from getting lost in your inbox and keeps everything organized.
Setting up rules:
Outlook: Right-click an email, go to Rules, and choose your preferred action.
Gmail: Open an email, click the three dots in the top right, select Filter Messages Like This, and set your criteria.
Pro tip: Even with rules in place, you should still check your folders regularly to stay on top of new information. Personally, I check my six main folders each morning to organize my day.
Color Coding
Color Coding
Color coding your emails can further streamline your inbox. This method allows you to quickly identify emails based on their color. For instance, you can assign colors to different project members to see who’s responded at a glance, or use a stoplight method for project statuses (red for behind schedule, yellow for waiting, green for on track).
Outlook offers more flexibility with color coding compared to Gmail, but you can use Gmail’s colored stars and shapes for similar results. This visual organization method can be as detailed or as simple as you prefer.
Benefits of a Well-Organized Inbox
Benefits of a Well-Organized Inbox
Increased Productivity
Increased Productivity
You’ll spend less time searching for emails and more time on actual tasks.
Reduced Stress
Reduced Stress
A clutter-free inbox means less mental clutter.
Better Communication
Better Communication
You’ll be able to respond to emails more promptly, ideally within 24 hours.
Implementing these tips might seem overwhelming at first, but remember: consistency is key. Start by regularly checking your emails and gradually introduce these rules and suggestions. Even a simple rule, like automatically trashing spam emails, can make a big difference.
I’d love to hear any additional tips or tricks you use for email management. Share your journey and let’s stay organized together!
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