A familiar “ding” noise emits from your computer. It can only mean one thing: Yet another email has hit your inbox. You feel overwhelmed and stressed about its contents. This is the latest addition to a climb in your inbox’s unread folder, meaning even more work lies ahead.
Sound familiar? Email inboxes are a common source of dread for both your personal and professional lives. But taking the time to organize your inbox can help. While it won’t reduce the number of emails you receive, you’ll have confidence in your approach to managing them. Here are a few ways to get started.
1. Sharing is Caring
Email isn’t often considered a group activity, especially when talking about an individual’s inbox. But sharing your calendar can help you manage your inbox and help others with theirs, too.
Think about all the times you get an email from coworkers or personal connections inquiring about your availability for a multi-person meeting or event. That one email can quickly turn into a flurring of back and forth between all involved parties, which can really boost your unread email count.
Sharing your calendar and availability can give people the information they need when it comes to things like scheduling meetings or key presentations. That reduces the need for people to contact you directly via email and burn up your time. So, put together a list of people who may need that information.
Then, enable sharing in your Outlook Calendar or other email provider. From there, your team will be in the loop about your schedule. They’re equipped with the information they need to coordinate group efforts.
2. Create an Everyday Routine
Organizational efforts are only as good as they are relevant. If you spend most days avoiding your inbox like the plague, you will deal with disorganization. However, the opposite is also true. Spending time daily to maintain your email inbox is key to staying on top of it.
This doesn’t need to be extensive or immensely time-consuming, though. It can be as simple as knowing you review your unread emails for 30 minutes to start your day. Or establish an inbox zero mentality by day’s end to know you’ll sign on to only brand-new emails tomorrow.
These habits may be difficult to implement at first, and that’s OK. After a while, you’ll have a routine that works for you and keeps your inbox under control. It just takes a bit of time and effort. When your system is in place, you’ll be that much more efficient and in the loop on your email, despite the chaos.
3. Put Folders to Use
An inbox of hundreds — or thousands — of emails would overwhelm anyone. It’s an abyss of information you need to know mixed with useless junk, and it’s unruly. That’s what being organized seeks to resolve. Many peoples’ key to inbox organization is the strategic use of folders.
Identify the types of emails you get most often to create the folder structure. These can be based on whether you need to take action or surrounding a topic or event theme. Then, spend time reviewing your inbox and sorting emails into each folder.
Once your inbox is carefully combed through for each folder, you can tackle each individually. Instead of diving into an inbox full of glaring unread threads, you’re looking at a smaller batch. When that is up-to-date, follow suit with the remaining folders. Before you know it, you’ll be in a great spot for a productive day.
4. Identify Important Senders
Not all emails are created equal. In fact, some require immediate attention or awareness. For those key emails, it’s valuable to identify the most important senders.
This will vary depending on your needs. If you’re using email in your personal life, this could be bills, insurance updates, or your kid’s school announcements. In a professional environment, important senders are likely your boss, key stakeholders, and internal communications. With your list in tow, you’re ready to establish rules to help you manage those conversations.
Filter emails to a specific “important” folder or create an automation so your email provider identifies them. Even simply flagging their emails manually can help their priority level stand out. With your approach in place, it’s just about accessing your important threads as needed. From there, you’ll stay on top of your inbox and be as organized as ever.
5. Color Code Your Inbox
If you have an affinity for organization, color coding is hardly a new concept. However, it’s valuable in managing your inbox, especially if you receive tons of emails. The best part? It’s entirely customizable to you and your preferences.
Simply think about your organization needs and what color coding is best suited for. Do you lead a team and get emails for every main area you oversee? Is your role project-focused with unique updates for each? Do you receive a lot of informational emails you need to reference in the future? Once your focuses have been identified, give each a color.
Most roles will likely have something similar requiring an organizational approach. Therefore, devote time to assigning colors and add them to your meeting schedule, too. With a consistent approach and dedication to updated color coding, your inbox and calendar alike will remain organized.
More Organization, More Productivity
Will there be days when your inbox is overwhelming? Of course there will be. However, strategic use of email management tips can help you feel a bit better about unread threads. With time, the “ding” of a new email won’t phase you at all.
Also Read: The Ultimate Guide to Streamlining Your Inbox with Mail Management Services
