4 tips to having and keeping an empty email in-box
If you are like many people out there, your email inbox(es) are so full, you often feel overwhelmed. How many of those emails will you ever actually read or act on? I too used to struggle with this problem. I had multiple email accounts with thousands of emails in each. For awhile now, though I have been able to maintain a zero balance in my inbox. It takes some work to get there to be sure, but it is psychologically freeing to be able to have a blank page every day in my inbox. Here are 4 tips to having and keeping an empty email in-box:
First, decide which types of emails are important. Create file folders in your email program for the different types of emails. For instance you can set up file folders for each client with whom you work. You can set up folders for anything you need. You can also set up sub folders for larger email files.
Second, and this can be the hardest part, begin eliminating the emails. I found it easiest to start at the bottom or end of my list and work my way to the top. Starting from the back keeps distractions at a minimum. Move email you need to keep into the newly created file folders. All others send to Trash.
Third, unsubscribe is your friend. Most websites and emails make it painless to unsubscribe. There are a few that make this process more challenging. What may have been a valuable email to you 5 years ago may not provide the same benefit to you today. While purging, it s easier to unsubscribe and free your inbox from future messages.
Finally, once your inbox is clear, daily maintenance is key. When your email inbox is at zero balance it only takes a few seconds to maintain your account and respond to those emails which are important.
If eliminating stress is important to you, this is an easy way to reduce clutter and feel accomplished in your day. I now know exactly where to go to find old emails and never waste time scrolling through seemingly endless pages of emails looking for that one that came through a couple weeks back.
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