5 quick tips on how to organize business email

Knowing how to organize email is an important skill for maintaining a productive routine. Have you ever stopped to think about it? The more time you waste on small everyday tasks, the less you can optimize your results.

As emails are one of the main communication channels in the corporate world, it is natural that this is part of the daily lives of millions of professionals. With the organization up to date, it is possible to be less lost and stressed, in addition to being more effective in managing the demands of each message.

So, how about checking out our tips? Read on to see what you can start putting into practice!

1. Set personal goals#

A great suggestion to start organizing yourself better is to know what goals you want to achieve in relation to your email box. This makes it easier to have a routine and do what you need every day.

For example, do you want the inbox to always be empty or does it not matter much to you? Having a lot of unread messages is a real torment for many people, while a clean box is synonymous with peace.

The tip is to establish your priorities and deal with the time available for them to be achieved. You can always start by reviewing emergencies, then take a few minutes to check out offers and newsletters, and so on. If you have a long mission ahead of you, such as opening more than 100 emails, break it down to smaller goals and do it little by little.

2. Take time to respond#

It’s not enough to organize your messages, as many of them are demands for you to resolve. It’s okay that some emails don’t need a response, but, of course, some of them do.

So be sure to include time in your schedule to respond carefully and not let it accumulate. Sometimes, not giving a timely return can result in losses for you, the company, or others.

The fact is that in the daily rush, we often read and forget to answer or not. Then, focus on the “I’m going to answer the emails now” activity.

3. Take advantage of colorful labels and folders#

A more orderly look is another benefit of dedicating yourself to organizing your email, making it easier for you to find messages that don’t seem so chaotic. Normally, the platforms offer the possibility of creating markers of different colors for each category.

That choice will depend on your preference. There are those who like to separate by subjects, by senders, or by level of urgency, for example. This is a good tactic for managing customer relationships. But what matters is to be able to group the emails in a way that makes your routine more practical!

4. Flag important messages#

Have you noticed that you can highlight some emails? Many people even know this, but they still don’t use the resource. It’s worth using the flags to mark messages that you may need in the future or want to identify more easily at some other time.

When you rush into your box and see a bunch of cluttered items, have no doubt that it must be harder to find what you need. The search bar for words also helps, but we don’t always remember the content, right? Let the markers help you!

5. Schedule periodic cleaning#

Finally, don’t forget that cleaning from time to time is essential. Over time, you realize that you don’t need to save so many messages, not least because they take up space in your box. Even if you have extra storage capacity, imagine accumulating all the clothes from the last 10 years in your closet. It’s almost the same thing!

As much as you like to keep some files, a lot of things become meaningless after a while. And of course, having fewer messages helps with overall organization. Take advantage of the periodic cleaning task to review subscriptions and unsubscribe from lists that you no longer wish to participate in.

If you want extra help organizing your email, search for tools like Follow Up Then, My Mail, and Spark, in addition to Google’s own tools (if you use Gmail) or your account server.

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