Try some of these tips to keep your email inbox tidy and easy to use:
- Set up rules, filters or label
In Outlook, go to File, and then Manage Rules and Alerts, and you can filter messages automatically into appropriately named folders as soon as they arrive, according to sender, subject, or other helpful category. - Delete!
When emails arrive, if it isn’t something you are going to action (now), delegate (forward it now), or postpone for later in the day, delete it. Go on! - Use automatic replies
If you find yourself regularly giving the same reply to emails, you could save yourself time by saving your reply as an email template to send out in future. - Keep it simple
If you create separate folders for your emails, keep it simple – don’t have multiple folders for every eventuality – you’ll never be able to find anything. Half a dozen folders should be enough for most situations. - Use quick, short replies
Make your emails short – a few paragraphs at the absolutely maximum. - Spam – delete it
If any spam does get through your protection, just delete it. Don’t open or reply to it – just delete it. - Delete some more!
If you’ve done everything listed above and still have emails that are weeks old, delete them.