Reduce Email In-Box Clutter
Using Your “Rules Wizard” Feature
Microsoft Outlook, a popular email software program used by many companies, contains many time-saving functions, once you know how to use them. (Though you may not be using Outlook, your program may still have similar functionalities.)
Using your Rules Wizard feature (under Tools) to filter and sort incoming mail is like having your own personal assistant opening your paper mail. The verbal instructions you might give to an assistant are similar to the rules you can create using the Rules Wizard. You might want to create rules to:
- auto-file mail from specific senders to folders you have created
- auto-file mail with specific keywords to folders you have created
- notify you when an important message arrives|
- flag messages from anyone you designate
- assign categories
- move messages you send
- and more!
Becoming familiar with how each of these rules works will help you to reach the time management goal of “handling each item only once”. Or, if your rule automatically deletes certain items, never handling it at all!
Tip:
Try to keep no more than 20 to 30 emails in your in-box. Any more than this wastes your time reviewing them and remembering why they are there in the first place!
Try this:
Find a 30-minute block of time. Spend those 30 minutes familiarizing yourself with the rules feature of your email software program. Make sure you understand the function of the various rules and decide which ones will be most beneficial to you.
Important Note:
ALWAYS test your rules to make sure they work according to your design. If a rule is set-up improperly, you might select out important emails unintentionally.
Useful Resource: Check out “Abby’s Top 10 Strategies for Slaying the Email Dragon” eBook.
About the Author:
Abby Marks Beale is founder of The Corporate Educator, a professional speaking and training company specializing in helping with busy people work smarter, faster and just plain better. Go to http://www.thecorporateeducator.com/.
I use this handy autoresponder for my emails now. I learned it from Timothy Ferris and the 4 Hour workweek.
Greetings Friends & Colleagues,
Due to high workload, I am currently checking and responding to email
once a day at 3:30pm ET.
If you require urgent assistance (please ensure that it is urgent)
that cannot wait until 3:30pm please contact me via phone at
555.555.5555. (your number)
Thank you for understanding this move to more efficiency and
effectiveness. It helps me accomplish more to serve you better.
Ian
Comment by Personal Development — March 4, 2010 @ 9:47 am
Helpful de-cluttering tips
Comment by Ryan — March 4, 2010 @ 12:38 pm