Feeling buried in an avalanche of emails? You’re not alone. Many of us struggle with email overload. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and start avoiding our inboxes entirely. We’re going to organize it all someday, we tell ourselves. The problem is that someday never comes. It’s okay. It happens. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. With a few intentional steps, you can transform your email management from chaos to calm. Here’s how:
Breathe, Plan, and Conquer.
Don’t let email overwhelm you. Take a deep breath (or ten!) and prepare to tackle this head-on. It didn’t get this way overnight, so it might take some time to clear the backlog. The key is to develop a strategic approach to gain control and avoid feeling perpetually swamped. You may need to take several sittings to clear it, and you may need to break it down into smaller, achievable tasks, like “delete or archive 50 or 100 emails a day.” If you need an extra hand, enlist a trusted friend or colleague to help you get started.
Unsubscribe, Unsubscribe, Unsubscribe
Be honest. How many years have you been deleting emails from the same companies? In the moment, it can feel better to spend seconds deleting rather than taking the time to unsubscribe first. But think about it. Over time, how many minutes have you spent deleting the same messages? Be ruthless—if you’re unsure, unsubscribe! You can always resubscribe later, if necessary, but chances are you won’t miss those messages. You might also save money by being less tempted to shop online and lured by sales, free shipping, and limited supplies.
Create Workflows and Systems
Once you’ve reduced the email influx, it’s time to establish a system for managing the remaining messages effectively.
- • Schedule dedicated email time: Email is real work but many of us don’t allocate time in our day for it. Too often we don’t account for the actual time needed to respond to emails and just expect to fit it in here and there around other commitments and responsibilities. Planning when you will attend to your email can help you contain it and prevent your inbox (and other people’s priorities) from dictating what you do each day. Ultimately, having dedicated time for email is more efficient than being in and out of it all day.
- • Organize with folders: Creating folders and archives might seem daunting, but it’s a worthwhile investment. Group emails into categories that work for you, such as “Emails from Advisor,” “Conference Travel,” or “Research trip.” You can even create subfolders for further organization.
- • Automate when possible: Take advantage of email filtering features to automatically direct incoming emails to specific folders. This can significantly reduce the time you spend manually sorting through your inbox. If you are using Gmail, you may want to go to this website or this YouTube video for a quick tutorial on how to accomplish this. If you are using Outlook, you can go to this YouTube video. If you are using another email system, you can Google or search on YouTube how to organize in that system.
Decide on an optimal inbox maximum, and stick to it
Once you’ve gotten control of your email, now it’s important to stay in control. One way to do that is to decide on an optimal inbox maximum, and never go over it. An optimal inbox maximum is the number of emails you’ll allow to sit in your inbox before filing or deleting them. For some people, that is zero. For others, it’s 15-30. Whatever number you choose is fine, just do your best to stick to it.
Remember . . .
The best email organization system is the one you’ll use. Adapt and personalize these tips to fit your unique workflow and preferences. By implementing these strategies, you can reclaim control of your inbox and transform it into a well-organized space that fosters productivity and peace of mind.