Helping people with their email almost daily, I am in a position to see some of the many ways people use and abuse their inbox. Even among the enlightened souls who have abandoned all inferior offerings and embraced Gmail, there are many who fail to use the genius of the system fully. A couple years ago, I was one! My inbox used to have 1000 or more in it at all times.
So I took steps. 1st, I decided my email is NOT a place I want merchants to sell me stuff, whether I signed up for them in the first place or not. So I ruthlessly axed all the salemails, using Gmails "Report Spam" button and the automatic unsubscribe feature that Google provides.
I then changed all my useless email notifications on social media like FB, Google+ and Twitter etc.. to zero, or nearly so. This takes willpower, but it is worth it. I don't need to be told every time someone comments on a post I commented on so I can rush back and re-comment... That way lies insanity!
And the largest change of all, I developed a strong habit of looking at EVERY email I receive every day, even if I just glance at it for 2 seconds... and decide whether to report spam, delete or archive, and in some rare cases, put a star or label on it. This process took a 2 weeks or so of habit changing and working thru the 1500 or so stacked in my inbox at the time.
Now, out of perhaps 20 emails I may get in a day, (down from 80 or so) I allow 1 or 2 to stay in the inbox, and only briefly... My rule is it is in the inbox ONLY if I am actively working on it, or something it references. In short, I no longer need anything to organize my inbox, because my inbox is empty, and it stays that way.
If you read it, Gmail itself recommends this. And let me tell you, once you start maintaining an empty inbox, it is a major revelation! Once my inbox is cleared, I am free to look over archived mail if I want, or surf, or waste time on social media, or... omg... even get some actual work done! An empty inbox is thing of beauty and a joy forever.
So I took steps. 1st, I decided my email is NOT a place I want merchants to sell me stuff, whether I signed up for them in the first place or not. So I ruthlessly axed all the salemails, using Gmails "Report Spam" button and the automatic unsubscribe feature that Google provides.
I then changed all my useless email notifications on social media like FB, Google+ and Twitter etc.. to zero, or nearly so. This takes willpower, but it is worth it. I don't need to be told every time someone comments on a post I commented on so I can rush back and re-comment... That way lies insanity!
And the largest change of all, I developed a strong habit of looking at EVERY email I receive every day, even if I just glance at it for 2 seconds... and decide whether to report spam, delete or archive, and in some rare cases, put a star or label on it. This process took a 2 weeks or so of habit changing and working thru the 1500 or so stacked in my inbox at the time.
Now, out of perhaps 20 emails I may get in a day, (down from 80 or so) I allow 1 or 2 to stay in the inbox, and only briefly... My rule is it is in the inbox ONLY if I am actively working on it, or something it references. In short, I no longer need anything to organize my inbox, because my inbox is empty, and it stays that way.
If you read it, Gmail itself recommends this. And let me tell you, once you start maintaining an empty inbox, it is a major revelation! Once my inbox is cleared, I am free to look over archived mail if I want, or surf, or waste time on social media, or... omg... even get some actual work done! An empty inbox is thing of beauty and a joy forever.
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