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Technically Speaking: Inbox Anarchy – Getting a Grip on Email Organization

By Joyce Wilde

Love it or hate it, email is here to stay. Many of us, if not most of us, probably use it every day. And while it’s a great way to stay in touch with friends and family and run business operations, organizing email can be a daunting task. If you’re struggling to get a grip on the chaos that fills your inbox, you’re certainly not alone. With a little self discipline and some elbow grease, you can learn to manage the mayhem, becoming a more efficient communicator along the way.

The Short List

It can be intimidating to log into your email account and find a seemingly unending list of messages staring you in the face. Nobody wants to deal with that kind of mess. The goal is to dive in and chop things down to a short list that’s much easier to sort through.

D is for Delete

Your first step should be to become best friends with your “Delete” key. Many people tend to take on a pack rat mentality and hesitate deleting rather insignificant emails because they’re afraid they might need them later. But how often do you end up going back to those messages for anything? Most times, all they do is clog up your hard drive with online promotions, social network updates and other clutter. As you scan through your messages, always ask yourself, “Will I need this later?” If the answer is “no,” delete it. Make informed decisions, but don’t feel obligated to hang onto every little piece of digital communication that sails into your inbox.

The Yes or No Answer

Next, you should reply to emails that only require a brief response. Simple questions that need little more than “yes” or “no” answers should be sent on down the information highway pronto. There’s no reason to put these aside until later when each one involves only a second or two of your time. The same goes with anything that merely needs to be forwarded on to someone else or anything with a file that just needs to be downloaded to your hard drive. These are quick tasks you can knock out to make that list even smaller.

Evite Mania

Finally, find emails that contain invitations to upcoming events and special occasions. Open these emails and mark the dates and times down in whatever calendar you like to use.  Don’t hold event details in your head with the idea that you’ll put them down later. If you forget, it will only create more stress. After recording the event and printing it for reference if necessary, delete it!  There’s no need for you to hang onto an email that’s logged and on paper for future review.

Files and Folders

Now that you’re down to a more manageable list of nothing but actionable items, you’re ready to start setting up your directory of subject folders. Just like a traditional filing cabinet, email folders help to keep your information organized by sorting each individual email into a specifically marked index of your choosing. Unlike its real world equivalent though, digital folders require only a click of your mouse and a simple drag and drop for filing, making them a snap for organizing data. Start by creating separate folders within your inbox.  Put meaningful thought into the process and label them clearly: Personal, Work, Bills, etc. Within these, you can create sub-folders if you’d like to make things more specific. For example, within the “Bills” folder, you can create sub-folders for “Mortgage” or “Car Payment” to keep any one folder from getting too big. Keep in mind that unless you have an inordinate amount of emails in any specific folder category, it’s always best to keep sub-folders to a minimum.

Folders can also help to prioritize emails if you’re feeling overwhelmed by a huge list of files that all require a response or review. Create dedicated folders to help you sort through these important messages in a concise manner. You can name these folders with designations such as “1 READ THESE” or “1 RESEARCH THESE.” The use of the number “1” at the start will place the folder at the top of your alphabetical list, where it will be easily visible. Most importantly, make sure you schedule a time to return to these emails. Things can become “out of sight, out of mind” when you don’t have that visual cue of seeing them front and center each day. If you need help, send yourself an email reminder to check your folders and keep it visible in your inbox.

Response Time

Your list has been trimmed down. Your folders are up and ready to receive their messages. Now, you are finally set to do what you came here to do: start answering the emails you have left. If there are messages that you know will require a long response, take a moment to fire off a quick reply just to touch base and let them know you will give a more detailed response later. Once you’ve gone through these, take the time to respond to all other messages. Give each one its proper attention, then once you have mailed off your reply, either delete it or file it away immediately in one of the folders you have already set up. If you want to, you can even categorize your “Sent Mail” into its own set of folders, which will keep this part of your email from becoming another huge list.

If you still want to make sure certain emails within your folders receive their proper attention, “flag” individual emails to highlight their importance. Each email message in your inbox should have a small flag or similar icon or checkbox next to it. By marking this, you have noted the email as significant, moving it to the top of your list and making it easier to find later. Some programs even let you color code emails by sender, subject or other categories. Check in your email’s “Settings” menu to see what kind of options and variations your carrier provides.

Remember, as you work through sorting out your email, keep focused and have patience. To make sure things stay organized, return to your inbox on a regular basis and carry out these same steps so nothing gets lost in the shuffle. Don’t overlook the importance of the “ponder factor,” as sometimes things will need to sit in your inbox until you can focus on what you want to do with them, and that’s okay. Just make sure that list doesn’t start getting too long again. Respond to your messages, file them away, and you’ll soon find your inbox won’t be such a scary place.

SIDEBAR

Even though we live in an electronic age, manners are timeless. We would all benefit from a little more attention to “good form” in our email correspondence. Here are some tips you can follow to always keep things polite and respectful.

• When emailing someone for the first time or someone you haven’t emailed in a while, start off with a pleasant greeting. This will keep the message from feeling abrupt or cold.
• Try not to ramble. Stay focused on the message’s intended purpose.

• Keep the tone personal by always including the person’s name at the beginning of the email.

• Choose a word of farewell such as “thanks” or “regards” to avoid a sudden ending.

• Sign the email with your name or initials for that same personal touch.