How many emails do you get a day, and how do you deal with them?
If your inbox is piling up, this blog is for you.
As the HSS DAS Course Leader, I sometimes receive upwards of 50 emails a day, so being a pro at managing my emails is essential. These are my top tips for staying on top of my digital inbox.
Folders
Setting up folders to organise and archive your emails can make a world of difference.
We store similar documents together in online drives and in-person, so why not in email? Email systems allow you to create new folders in just a few clicks. Filing emails means you don’t have an inbox full of things you’ve already dealt with, allows you to store similar topics together, and makes for easy referencing and retrieval. You can set up new folders in Outlook by right clicking on inbox and selecting ‘new folder.’
Managing mailing lists
We’ve all been there, signed up to mailing lists that send out weekly or even daily emails. Some of these emails are useful, but others just clog up your inbox. If you’re subscribed to too many email lists, set aside a little time to hit that ‘unsubscribe button’. Ask yourself questions like… Is this content valuable to me? Does it align with my current needs?
Where your employer or education provider has put you on a mailing list, you may not be able to unsubscribe. Instead, consider setting up a folder for these specific emails. Inbox rules can direct emails straight to the appropriate folder - but don’t fall into the trap of ‘I have a rule, so I never need to check this folder!’ Filters don't always work perfectly, so it's important to check all your folders (including Junk) every so often.
Using email flags and reminders
There are a range of helpful ways to remind you that you still need to reply to or action the contents of an email. Which one is the best totally depends on you. I like to use a combination of marking emails unread, setting flags, and setting reminders. Where an email has a fixed deadline, I find flagging helpful, and I will also set a reminder if the due date is far in the future. You can set a flag by hovering your mouse on the right of your email in your inbox and clicking the flag. Once clicked it will turn red, and when you’ve replied or actioned that email, another click to the flag icon will turn it into a green checkmark. Job done!
Don't forget to check your inbox regularly
Not only can seeing that you have hundreds of unread emails stress you out, but you may miss something important. As a student, aim to check your university email inbox once or twice a day. You may find it helpful to look once at the start of the day and once at the end of your day. Pick the best time for you, set a reminder on your phone, and get yourself in the habit of checking.
If you’re like me, the perfect inbox is one where everything has been read, actioned, and filed. When you’re working or studying full-time (or doing a combination of the two), it’s rare to be able to have an empty, actioned inbox. Try not to put pressure on yourself to have everything actioned straight away. If you’re feeling email-related-stress, prioritise finding out what works for you to keep a balanced inbox. Happy email-inbox-managing!
Respond
