Listed below are my top 5 tips I use regularly to keep email usage organized, efficient and prevent wasted time searching and staring at emails.
- The big one, there should only be two reasons for keeping an email
The email is considered a reference email or a follow up email. Create a reference folder or label (Gmail) to move these types of emails. They must have important material or documents attached that will be used at some point for reference. All other emails can be tossed as they are either meant to be read or needed to be flagged to act upon.
2. Group similar messages in folders or labels (Gmail)
Of course if you stick to tip #1 these folders will be all reference folders. Some grouping folders or labels could include like AUTO and HOME and those that are misc go to REFERENCE folder.3. Use rules or filters to route the mail automatically
This tip builds off of the #2 tip. Can you see a theme here? Setup rules or filters for your email program you use to automatically place email in the relevant folder based on any criteria you want including subject, message body or from a particular person.
4. People like color, take advantage of it
Think about your categories you previously created and assign colors for them. These colors can then be applied to everything not just email. For example, I use the color orange for any project related work. Emails from my project managers, appointments and other related contacts will be assigned orange. Don’t go overboard and have a gazillion colors, keep your categories and colors minimized or you will defeat the purpose of staying organized.
5. Finally, use the flag system effectively
Like stated in the #1 tip, it’s either a reference email or an email that needs some action done to it. It may need a simple reply, but in most cases flag or set the email for follow up with short title of WHY or WHAT needs to be done before it can be deleted and WHEN should it be acted upon by.
Hopefully you can find some or all of these tips useful.