Organize your email to simplify your life

“I don't believe in email. I'm an old-fashioned girl. I prefer calling and hanging up.”
                                                                                                                      -Sarah Jessica Parker

Unlike Sarah Jessica Parker, most of us rely on email for everyday correspondence. In fact, I would bet that everyone reading this article checks their email at least once a day. (If I am wrong please email me and let me know!) Organize & Create Discipline has come up with a variety of special tricks for battling your email. In this two part article we will explain to you how staying on top of your email can painless. This week…it’s personal!

KEEP YOUR INBOX ORGANIZED

I know it’s sounds easy, but it really can be easy! Use your inbox as a middle ground between “in progress” and “completed.” When an email comes to your inbox you check it and have two options: respond or wait to respond. If you choose to respond, you should immediately delete it OR file it in a folder called SAVED EMAILS. This folder will be used for all of the emails you have dealt with and will maybe need to refer back to one day. The most important part is to remove the completed email from your inbox. The only emails that should be there from now on will be ones that you have yet to take action on or have to follow up on.

CREATE FOLDERS

As we discussed with your inbox and creating a SAVED EMAILS folder, it can be vital to create other folders when dealing with specific correspondence. Let’s say you are in the process of moving and have been getting a massive amount of emails regarding your move. Create a folder called MOVE 2010 and file any email pertaining to your upcoming move in that folder. This will remove the clutter in your inbox and will allow you to focus on your move when you decide to. This can be done with anything important enough to warrant a folder. Be selective with your folders you create as you do not want hundreds of folders in your email account.

NO SPAM

If receive more than 20 SPAM emails a day it is time for a change in your habits. Most SPAM messages come from mailings you sign up for online. You may not realize it, you may not even think about it, but anytime you put your email address on any form there is a chance you will receive SPAM messages. For this reason, stay organized and have at least two separate email accounts: one for your daily correspondence and one for all of those “lists” that aren’t personal to you. Keep the “lists” email address secret so you don’t feel the need to be constantly checking it. If you are looking through hundreds of emails a day, and deleting most of them, then your energy and time is not being used effectively. Help keep your life organized by keeping your emails organized.

Next week OCD will discuss how vital it is to back up your email and other documents and how simple it can be.

I want to hear from YOU! Tell me what organizational questions cross your mind. Email Organize & Create Discipline at ocd@ocdexperience.com and maybe your organizational challenge will be discussed next week.

Justin Klosky is a professional organizer who runs Organize & Create Discipline. Check out his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/organizeandcreatediscipline for daily updates and tips. You can also check his website for videos on how to organize your life at www.ocdexperience.com .