The Role of Habit in Managing Email Overload
If you're inundated by a constant stream of emails, the odds are good that you feel overwhelmed and unable to prioritize your inbox. Email overload is a serious problem for many people, and there's no easy fix. However, there is one thing that you can do to help yourself: develop healthy email habits.
They say that creating an email inbox rule is one of the most effective ways to manage your time. Create some guidelines for yourself such as always responding within an hour or never touching work emails on weekends. Here are seven email habits that can help you get a handle on your inbox.
1. Set it aside: The number one thing you can do to manage your emails is to set aside time for them. Decide when you're going to check it, and stick to that time frame. Your best bet is set aside some time every day for email management, preferably early in the morning when your mind is fresh and ready tackle any problems with a clean slate.
2. Get there fast: Always check or at least scan your inbox as soon as you get into work or sit down at your computer to begin working on something else.
3. Out of sight, out of mind: Depending on the size of your inbox, you may want to configure your email client to limit how many emails can be viewed at once. If you're overwhelmed by it, consider the possibility that getting more mail out of view can help you from overloading yourself with too much information.
4. Clear it out: Use those rules to manage and organize your inbox at least once a week – and then go through and clear it completely. The goal is to get everything out of your inbox so that you can fight off a new wave of incoming mail.
5. Reducing the frequency: While that's an ambitious goal, you can set up rules to reduce the frequency of emails in your inbox with the help of Gmail's Inbox Zero tool, which tracks your email's timestamps and their frequency to determine when it's safe to delete them. (See more: How To Stop Email Overwhelm)
6. Automate it: If you're overwhelmed by email, set up rules for yourself to automatically unsubscribe from lists that you don't actively use. This will free up some space in your inbox and give you time to actually read and respond to the emails that are important. This is often recommended by email experts such as Digital Marketer who suggest creating rules like this and then sticking to them as they become automated.
7. Do less of it: Don't try to delete everything: After all, if there's something really important that you need addressed in your inbox, then you need to get on top of it right away before it piles up into an enormous mess that makes it abundantly clear exactly how much mail is being sent your way. So don't try to close it all down at once – instead, just try to clear out a little bit at the end of each week.
Google has released a new productivity app called Inbox by Gmail which is available as a free download in the Google Play Store . Once installed this app will work very much like your regular Gmail account, only with some added features that allow you to get more done throughout your day.
Inbox by Gmail allows you to get things done without having to open up your browser and open multiple tabs while absentmindedly clicking from one page to another. The app works on both tablets and smartphones and is very easy to use.
Once installed, the app will pop up on your home screen like a standard app and can be quickly accessed using the search feature of your device. The navigation is fairly simple, with just five categories to choose from right at the top of the new interface.
You can select one of these categories to view and compose emails in that particular area. Once you've selected an option you'll be taken to a new page featuring all of your existing email that you've had stored for a while. These are divided up into different tabs on this screen that show either specific emails or groups of messages with similar titles and subjects. You'll be able to view all pending mail and draft emails if outbox items are visible on this screen.
Once you've got your email open in either the main inbox or one of the additional tabs, you'll be able to view a preview of that message on the screen and also choose to delete it, move it to another folder or leave it as is. You can also add labels and tags to help you organize your mail.
Google also added new features as part of this update. The first is automatic import - which allows you to automatically move messages from Gmail when opening Inbox by Gmail. Also included are auto-expunge search filters so that you can remove the older emails you no longer need from your inbox.
These are just a couple of the features and changes included in this updated app. You can get more information on these and other changes by visiting http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/09/19/exclusive-google-inbox-by-gmail-now-downloadable-to-all-on-android/
Forbes writer, contributor and author, Maurice Schweitzer states: Learning From Email Overload
Technology has had a dramatic impact on the way we do business -- changing everything from how we advertise to how our employees work. The biggest impact technology has had, however, is on communication. Email is the lifeblood that runs the world's communications, and it's become a virtual superpower of productivity.
When we email each other with a thought or a need, we hardly ever realize how much time our expectations for an email to answer will put us in a state of overload. However, being able to manage your inbox is key to your productivity and effectiveness. Here are some tips that can help you take control of your email:
1. If you're like most people these days -- overworked and underpaid -- maintaining your inbox isn't enough to satisfy your need for communication with others via email .
Conclusion:
Email is the biggest time-suck on earth. It's a popular myth that email is just a technical tool that helps business get done faster. If you've ever worked in a corporate environment, you know how big an impact email has on day to day life. Taking control of your inbox is key to being efficient and effective at work, and even more importantly makes it easier to communicate effectively with other people at home or elsewhere.
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