How many messages are in your email inbox right now? A few dozen? It’s probably more like a few hundred, or even a few thousand. We all get too much email. Opening your email and feeling your stomach sink as the unread number stares you in the face, feels worse. Here are a few ultimate ways to conquer your email inbox.
Every day we’re shelled with emails from our friends, family, co-workers, employers, customers, companies, schools, potential clients, credit card companies, etc. It can be overwhelming and seemingly impossible to stay on top of. Email can either be a total nightmare or an indispensable productivity tool.
If you want to reduce all those incoming messages, look first at your own emailing habits. Because one of the best ways to receive fewer emails is to send fewer. Check out these ultimate ways to conquer your email inbox like a pro.
Empty Your Unwanted Emails
Empty Your Unwanted Emails. Image Source: U4get
To avoid coming back to the office the next day and being overwhelmed with a hundred of unwanted emails in your Gmail inbox – clean your inbox before the end of the day.
Removing unwanted, pestering emails on a daily basis removes the problem that might possibly turn your ordinary inbox into a monster. Do yourself a favor: Select all the email in your inbox that’s more than three days old, and move it to a Backlog folder.
This habit has a direct impact on your productivity on an everyday basis as it not only removes the clutter from your inbox but helps you start your day with a positive peace of mind.
Customize Your Inbox
Customize Your Inbox. Image Source: U4get
With the right settings, your incoming emails will even organize themselves. Consider a folder specifically for your boss or other important co-workers. You’ll know you have to check that first. You can personalize your emails all you want but without a professional looking email address, your emails have a high probability of spending time in the spam folder.
Customizing your inbox makes you feel at ease. Now go to your email inbox, and CONQUER.
Break the Chain
Break the Chain. Image Source: BetaNewa
When people email you, consider who really needs a response. “Only send to people who have to see the message and act on it,” says Renaud. “If you keep blasting stuff into people’s inboxes, they will just ignore you—like the boy who cried wolf.”
Quick replies let the sender know you received the message and primes them to chill while you deal with your bigger priorities. Especially if you’re in the middle of a stressful time, the quick replies will save you from firing off a tense or angry reply.
Check Your Emails Two or Three Times a day
Check Your Emails Two or Three Times a day. Image Source: Reader’s Digest
A 2015 study showed that people who constantly monitor email are more stressed than those who set aside a few specific times to tackle the task. If you think a quick email is more productive in office than face-to-face meet up or calling, you’re probably mistaken. Sending a mail once and moving on may be a right thing to do but, an email chain inevitably follows.
So, make sure to check your emails once or twice a day, making sure stress won’t come along.
Do you use Gmail for your business? The best way to manage your emails like a pro is by being proactive or use the above-mentioned ultimate ways to conquer your email inbox.
Reference: Curiosity