Organize Your Email

Feel overwhelmed by your inbox? Below, I share three levels of email organization, thanks to a few experts I found on YouTube. Choose the level that works best for your personality.

Level 1: Just archive it!
Leave action items in your inbox. Move all other emails into your archive. Your archive is searchable, so you'll be able to find it later as long as you search for the right terms. If Mridu Parikh's style works for you, check out http://lifeisorganized.com/.

Level 2: The Five Step System

1. Don't check your email, process your email.
2. Have set times to process your email.
3. Ask yourself three key questions about each email.

Is this actionable?
Do I need to file this for future reference?
Can I delete this?

4. Create folders for the emails you want to keep.
5. Get your inbox to zero daily.

If Bernadette Doyle's advice works right for you, visit her online at http://bernadettedoyle.com/blog/.

Level 3: Folders, labels, and more!
There are a lot of tips and tricks you can use in Gmail to make your email life more efficient. These work great if you enjoy working at this deeper level of Gmail on a regular basis. If this seems too detail focused for you, don't try it. Find more from the Human Manual at http://www.thehumanmanualonline.com/.

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Dustin Kidd

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