Be More Efficient with Email
“Information is a source of learning. But unless it is organized, processed, and available to the right people in a format for decision making, it is a burden, not a benefit.”
~William Pollard
We all have been affected by email clutter at one point or other in time. If not dealt with appropriately, clutter becomes an information overload without any benefits.
An inbox full of thousands of unread messages can be a constant nagging reminder for your subconscious. It can prevent you from doing other more productive tasks. Going through each email with 1000+ unread messages can be an irritating distraction. Won’t you agree?
I personally prefer Gmail because it is simple to use with great functionality and a clean user-interface. You may be using another service but the basic problem remains the same: How do I become email-efficient and avoid clutter?
When I realized how organizing and reading my email was taking more than its fair-share of time, I resolved the issue with the following simple steps:
1. Use Filtering: Filtering emails can be a great way to keep it light and simple. Filters help you stay organized and come back to specific types of email at a later time when you need them. For example, you can filter out messages about the latest in Self-help Books and come to it when you have the time, inclination or need. Filters can also be used to keep track of different projects and incoming communication from specific people.
2. Disable Email Notifications: If you are using Outlook or Gmail Notifier, turn it off. I cannot help stress the importance of turning off all the background noise like notifications when you need them the least. Not everyone relies entirely on email, so why should you? If people need to reach you right now, they have your phone number too, right?
3. Archive: I love email archives. It amazes me how this little feature can help you reach great productivity levels and yet it is mostly ignored. Don’t underestimate the power of archives. Archiving your inbox clears the attention-seeking clutter and lets you concentrate on one thing at a time.
Your turn: How do you de-clutter your email? Do you have any tips to share? Do you use multiple email accounts to deal with each type of incoming stream or do you prefer to stick to one?
-Tina Su
Photo by Leland Francisco
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