Managing your email may seem like a full-time job, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. Although you may think it’s a daunting task, it shouldn’t consume your day.
Try these 5 hints and take control of your Inbox.
Limit your time – You waste time if you constantly check your email. Just because technology allows us to have our emails with us everywhere we are, doesn’t mean we should interrupt our schedule in checking it constantly.
Pick a time either once or twice a day and set a timer. Don’t linger. Quickly process your messages by deleting, filing, and responding to your emails that you have received since last reviewing it.
Automate– Use the automation tools provided in your email program. Use color coding to alert you of important messages from certain senders. Automatically file routine messages into folders to review all at once.
DELETE – It’s OK to delete. Really, it is! I have worked with many folks that can’t delete anything. There are messages that, let’s face it, you will never ever need again. Don’t let it just lay around in your Inbox, delete it. Use the check box feature and delete many messages at one time. With the unnecessary messages gone, you’ll be able to concentrate on the emails you really need to address.
Once a week, check your JUNK or SPAM folder. Glance to make sure the messages should be spam. If a message is from a sender that shouldn’t be there, make the necessary changes in your settings and add them as a safe sender. Then delete the contents in the folder to keep it clean. Also, delete the contents of your Trash folder at least once a week.
File – If you absolutely cannot delete the message, keep your Inbox clean by filing messages into folders. Create folders that make sense to you and move the message to the appropriate folder. I like to copy the email communication from my clients into my CRM program and then delete out of my email system. It keeps my email clean and all the communication from that client is in one spot.
Reduce the amount coming in—Take the time to unsubscribe to offers or information you are no longer interested in. Turn off email messages from your apps. These email messages clog up your Inbox and the best practice is to go into your app settings and turn off email notifications. You’ll eliminate numerous emails from entering your Inbox in the first place.
It does take discipline to control the chaos of your email account. The good news is, with practice, it will get easier and you will process your email quickly and efficiently.