Does your email inbox make you want to pull your hair out? Does it immediately cause you anxiety when you log on in the morning? (Maybe avoiding it at all costs, for that matter!) Or do you find yourself constantly checking your inbox when you get a notification of a new email? We've all been there. But the challenge is to find a solution that will help you hate your inbox less, and instead embrace the power you will feel when you take control of the situation! Following some (or all) of the following tips for tackling your inbox:
1. Turn off email alerts: I know- call me crazy. But having little bubbles pop up alerting me of new emails in real-time is enough to cause a panic attack. When the notifications become nuisances and takes me away from my task at hand, it's counter-productive. Yet, without fail, I have to check it. So, my suggestion- simply turn off the alert feature. Schedule times to check your email throughout the day- it's a much more productive use of your time!
2. Keep mails short: Let's face it- no one wants to read a long email. I try to keep my emails to under 5 sentences to help save my time, and the recipient's time! If an email needs to be longer than 5 sentences, my thought is that a phone call is probably best anyway.
3. Take an email break: If you have a deadline or a huge project that needs your undivided attention- I highly suggest turning on your vacation response with a simple note to say you are away from your computer for the day. (Even if you're actually still on it.) I also suggest giving a phone number for absolute emergencies- but this will do the trick if you really need to focus.
4. Unsubscribe to pointless subscriptions: Everyone has subscribed to emails, but do you really find them beneficial? If you answered no, Unroll me is your solution. All you do is sign up, check out the list of your subscription emails and unsubscribe from the ones that no longer serve you. Similarly, this feature can also solidify all of your subscriptions you find useful into one convenient email a day.
5. Color coding: Last, but certainly not least- color coding your inbox. This is my personal favorite and I have been doing this for years (even though my co-workers think I'm crazy.) But once you get a system in place, it really is the most effective thing I've found that works for me. Each of my clients have a specific color and as soon as I receive an email, I label it accordingly. Similarly, I will move any particular email to it's designated folder once I have responded and taken care of what is needed.
So, there you have it! My top 5 tips for making your email inbox more manageable! Do you have any other tips that aren't on the list? I'd love to hear them!
