You've got email... but do you know how to manage it? The answer to decluttering your inbox - and keeping it clear - is easier than you might think
It’s a quick and easy way to communicate that’s revolutionised our working practice and enabled us to keep in touch with long-distance friends and relatives. Despite the many benefits of emails, however, managing them can feel like a never-ending task.
Leave too many unanswered, and emails can quickly turn into an overwhelming challenge, especially when important deadlines are looming. The good news is that whether you have one or more inboxes, actively managing them will help you liberate a little time for the people and pastimes that bring you the greatest joy.
There are a few effective ways you can manage your inbox and instil a little calm in your life. Efficient email processing is based on a common-sense approach and entails converting each email into an action. Here’s how to do it…
Schedule times to process your email
Set times to tackle your inbox and stick to them. This could be once a day or every hour between, say, 10am and 6pm. You’ll be more efficient if you process emails in batches and you may even find you enjoy the process. To avoid being distracted while you’re working it’s wise to keep your email accounts closed outside of these times. It’s also a good idea to turn off pop-ups and notifications on your computer and phone. Avoid the temptation to keep checking for messages.
Process and clear your inbox
View the inbox as a holding area for the emails you haven’t read. To do this you may wish to create a few folders. Some people find it useful to have two: pending and archive. After all, if you need to locate an old email you can use the search tool.
Emails can be processed as follows:
Delete, junk or forward
Many emails can be deleted, marked as spam or forwarded to the person or people to whom they apply. If you receive a lot of unnecessary mail, or are copied into conversations that don’t apply, then move swiftly through these actions. Delete or archive each email as you work your way down the list.
Unsubscribe
Consider every newsletter, notification etc. that arrives in your inbox to determine if it adds value. If it doesn’t, simply take a moment to unsubscribe from the mailing list.
Quick response
Some emails require only a short response and these can be immediately addressed. Once completed, the email can be deleted or archived. If you receive numerous emails requiring a similar reply, it’s wise to create some draft response templates. This will save you an enormous amount of time.
Long response
There are, of course, emails that require a more considered response or further research before a reply can be drafted. These can be moved to the pending folder for later attention. It’s useful to schedule a time to routinely check this folder and set a deadline for the task. Once an email has been processed it can be deleted or archived.
Keep them short
And finally, it’s not only efficient but also kinder to keep emails short. We’re all juggling a lot in our lives so being clear and concise will help the recipient – and in many cases it will stop you receiving a lengthy reply in return.
