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Jan. 27th, 2011 09:28 am*sigh* Been a long couple weeks. I really hate getting sick. Then again, there are times when being forced to slow down is a good thing. Not sure being sick qualifies, but I did try and take advantage of the time to veg and relax as best I could.
In efforts to continue on with the "cleanup" process I mentioned at the beginning of the year, I decided to start keeping my email inboxes a little more organized. I stumbled on an organizational method that involves sorting email immediately and by doing so, you can deal with it more effectively rather than letting it pile up. For me, this has proven to be a rather time consuming task since in order to effectively use it, you must not only put the principles into practice immediately, but ultimately, you need to have an empty or near-empty inbox. Looking at my gmail account, I have had a tendency to let it pile up, and though from the time I started this project, I have been keeping up with the principles, I'm still digging through over 3 years of emails. Yay for search terms, bulk deletes, and the Archive feature. Work email has been just as bad. But I take moments throughout the day, and chisel little by little over each. It won't get done exceptionally quickly, but dealing with 500+ emails a day will get me there.
The concepts apply for most things regarding clutter, and it is just a matter of setting up a comparable sorting concept. For email, you create folders (or use labels) to create a Follow-up group, a Hold group, and an Archive or Keep group. Then, upon receiving an email, if it requires immediate response, DO IT. Don't put it off. Address the issue, respond, and unless any of the following apply, delete the original. If it can wait or needs to wait, put it into the follow-up folder, and check the folder periodically throughout the day each day to make sure you address those issues. For issues where you are keeping the email for a specific time (say shipping tracking information) or because you need more information, put those in the Hold folder, and again, peruse the folder to purge things you won't need anymore. Move to the follow-up folder as necessary or delete when completed. Finally, for things you know you need to save indefinitely, put it in the Archive. Doing this, the inbox should ultimately remain empty, and in the process of keeping it so, there will be less clutter. Your folders will become functional, and you'll have less dread of what lurks among the piles of fluff.
So far, at least for the stuff coming in, it is working really well. My inbox only has things from the point where I haven't caught up yet, but all new items get subject to the sort and are dealt with accordingly.
Baby steps.
In efforts to continue on with the "cleanup" process I mentioned at the beginning of the year, I decided to start keeping my email inboxes a little more organized. I stumbled on an organizational method that involves sorting email immediately and by doing so, you can deal with it more effectively rather than letting it pile up. For me, this has proven to be a rather time consuming task since in order to effectively use it, you must not only put the principles into practice immediately, but ultimately, you need to have an empty or near-empty inbox. Looking at my gmail account, I have had a tendency to let it pile up, and though from the time I started this project, I have been keeping up with the principles, I'm still digging through over 3 years of emails. Yay for search terms, bulk deletes, and the Archive feature. Work email has been just as bad. But I take moments throughout the day, and chisel little by little over each. It won't get done exceptionally quickly, but dealing with 500+ emails a day will get me there.
The concepts apply for most things regarding clutter, and it is just a matter of setting up a comparable sorting concept. For email, you create folders (or use labels) to create a Follow-up group, a Hold group, and an Archive or Keep group. Then, upon receiving an email, if it requires immediate response, DO IT. Don't put it off. Address the issue, respond, and unless any of the following apply, delete the original. If it can wait or needs to wait, put it into the follow-up folder, and check the folder periodically throughout the day each day to make sure you address those issues. For issues where you are keeping the email for a specific time (say shipping tracking information) or because you need more information, put those in the Hold folder, and again, peruse the folder to purge things you won't need anymore. Move to the follow-up folder as necessary or delete when completed. Finally, for things you know you need to save indefinitely, put it in the Archive. Doing this, the inbox should ultimately remain empty, and in the process of keeping it so, there will be less clutter. Your folders will become functional, and you'll have less dread of what lurks among the piles of fluff.
So far, at least for the stuff coming in, it is working really well. My inbox only has things from the point where I haven't caught up yet, but all new items get subject to the sort and are dealt with accordingly.
Baby steps.