Need help organizing your email? Many people store all of their messages in their inboxes, but this can be unwieldy. By creating folders and using rules to divide your messages between those folders, you can quickly organize even the most chaotic inbox.
Another way to keep email from getting out of control is to pick specific times of day to check it. Rather than responding to every notification, you could choose to check email only first thing in the morning, at lunch, and before the end of the day. Remember the one-minute rule: If it takes less than a minute, just go ahead and answer the email instead of letting it sit for another day.
- For extra help, see my article, “Simple Steps to Organize Your Email,” in The Northwest Herald.
Here are some tips for Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail which will help you set up folders, create rules to filter your messages, and more.
Tips for Gmail
- Create rules to filter your emails (via Google)
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6579?hl=en - Create labels to organize Gmail (via Google)
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/118708?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
Tips for Apple Mail
- Use Mail on your Mac (via Apple)
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204093 - Use rules to manage emails you receive in Mail on Mac (via Apple)
https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/use-rules-to-manage-emails-you-receive-mlhlp1017/mac - Use Smart Mailboxes in Mail on Mac (via Apple)
https://support.apple.com/guide/mail/use-smart-mailboxes-mlhlp1190/mac - Use mailboxes to organize email on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (via Apple)
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207213 - Search for and view email on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (via Apple)
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207132
Tips for Microsoft Outlook
- Basic tasks in Outlook (via Microsoft)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/basic-tasks-in-outlook-192eb102-2ee2-4049-b7f5-aa0eb4231fbb - Manage email messages by using rules (via Microsoft)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/manage-email-messages-by-using-rules-c24f5dea-9465-4df4-ad17-a50704d66c59 - Organize your inbox (Office 365) (via Microsoft)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/organize-your-inbox-9aea8ad7-883d-459b-a3ea-ae20f06cfb32 - Best practices for Outlook (via Microsoft)
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/best-practices-for-outlook-f90e5f69-8832-4d89-95b3-bfdf76c82ef8
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