Clean Out Your Inbox!
Though spring is usually when "spring cleaning" occurs, that doesn't mean your inbox has to stay in hopeless disarray until the next time the tulips bloom. Not only will getting your digital mailbox organized help you when it comes time to find something you actually need, but it's also likely to lighten your overall feeling of email bombardment.
Follow these tips for wrangling even the most wild of inboxes.
1. Set aside time each day to hit the delete button. Sure, there are going to be days when you just don't feel like spending your time this way, but believe me—your future self will thank you for it. Adopt this good habit now, or else your inbox might end up looking a little something like the below. (It's so bad it's almost impressive.)
2. Get organized! Create folders (and sub-folders) or implement color-coding that designates where each of your emails belongs. Whether they're related to a specific client or organization or are newsletters for your favorite outlets, ideally, every email should have a "home."
3. Don't hoard. Unless an email is a receipt or specific to something you know you'll want to reference later, get rid of it right then and there! Trust me, if you tuck it away for safekeeping "just in case," you're likely to forget you even saved it in the first place.
4. Unsubscribe from what doesn't serve you. If you find you're constantly skipping over certain emails for longer than a month at a time, hit that unsubscribe button. Sometimes, unwanted emails can turn into white noise, being there without you even realizing it anymore. Staying on top of what you allow in your inbox will shorten the time spent weeding through them each day in the long run.
5. Find a system that works for you. Sure, there are plenty of hacks and tricks for keeping your inbox organized, but ultimately, you're the only one who is going to know what works best for you and your working style. There's nothing wrong with a little trial and error! If you try a method out and find that it's not sticking, go ahead and move on to the next thing.
What are some of your favorite inbox tips?
Written by Sarah Suydam, Staff Writer for Groups Today.
