How To Organize Your Email
Raise your hand if your email is out of control.
I’ll wait. :P
Email is a tool that showed up in our lives without a user manual. The best practices on how not to let email run all over you came a little too late.
And here we are today with more helpful tips on how to get that digital mailbox under control.
One option is to delete the email account and start from scratch.
This is the easiest option for you, but I realize it may not be the most attractive offer. ;)
Email Service Provider
My preference is a gmail account over hotmail, outlook, iMail; although Apple’s iMail seems to lead the pack with Gmail in hot pursuit.
LET'S take a poll
How many email addresses do you have?
Which service provider(s) do you use?
How many emails are in your inbox? be honest
I have 2 personal email accounts and 2 business email accounts.
Personal:
Hotmail = 2 emails
Gmail = 59 (56 unread)
Business
Gmail = 17 (9 unread)
Gmail = 37 (32 unread)
Using Google Suite is the new server for small business owners. Everything is easily accessible from any computer. Email included.
Web-based programs trump device-based programs as they are backed up and accessible anytime anywhere. When I used iMail, I had to be on my laptop to access my email.
Use the email service provider app on your phone rather than the “Mail” app.
How many times have you deleted emails through the Mail app only to realize it is still sitting in your email? I am no tech guru, but when I delete an email through the Gmail app the email is officially deleted across the board.
Email Best Habit
Rather than delete, get into the habit of unsubscribing.
Keep in mind, the email list will always be available. If you unsubscribe but change your mind in the future, then you can always sign back up!
Oftentimes, when you click the unsubscribe link, you can change the frequency of the email to be delivered weekly rather than daily.
Pin, pin, pin. Those email newsletters that show up and are full of great recipes are perfect Pinterest pins.
Click through to the recipe or idea you want to save and then select “Pin”. Most websites have this feature built in.
Instead of saving them into folders on your email, I recommend saving them in Pinterest. You are already using this service in this way, therefore, it is best to stay consistent rather than have a backup system.
Too many systems = piles and clutter
Check your email twice a day (max). Turn off notifications. And don’t leave it open. I recommend checking in before lunch and before 6p-ish. This eliminates distraction and mind clutter!
Email Favorite Features
Folders, folders, folders
If you plan to keep an email, then file it away. Don’t pile it up in your inbox.
Use less than five header folders and then subdivide into more detail under them.
Snooze an email that you won’t need until a later date. Going to a party and don’t need the address until the day of? Snooze it! Got an email about a bill that is due next month? Snooze it!
When you snooze, the email is moved from the inbox to a “Snooze” folder and will reappear in the inbox on the selected day & time.
Schedule emails that you want to send. This is a great feature if you want to group the task of email creation but don’t want to send them all out at the same time.
For example, I send an email every Friday to our estate sale clients. I’m not always in office on Fridays so I draft it a few days before and schedule the email to go out at a specific day and time.
The email is moved into a “Scheduled” folder and then moves to “Sent”.
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