Inbox Management

Your email inbox is an opportunity to stay on top of tasks, to-dos, and other important information. How you manage your inbox will help improve its usefulness to you. This Tool is written with Microsoft Outlook in mind; however, they can apply to other email services too.

Strategies

Inbox Zero

Goal: Keep your inbox consistently at or near empty (zero).

Action Steps: Regularly process emails, and once required actions from the email are taken, move it out of your inbox.

Example: I open an email requesting a new tool, I leave the email in my inbox and start to work on the new tool. I finish the tool, attach it to the reply and send it. I then move the email into the “Tools” folder.

Pros: It is easy to visualize how much is left to do and your inbox stays decluttered.

Cons: It can be difficult to start if you have an inbox full of emails already and mails need to go somewhere else.

Flagged for More

Goal: Keep emails flagged while still working on them and unflag once completed.

Action Steps: After reading an email and additional work is needed, flag the email as a notification you need to do something. Unflag once completed.

Example: I open an email requesting a new tool, I flag the email and start to work on the new tool. I finish the tool, attach it to the reply and send it. I then unflag the email.

Pros: This strategy does not require folders, it is easy to start, and involves the fewest clicks.

Cons: Your inbox can get cluttered and flags can get buried by other emails.

Folder Sort

Goal: Organize emails into the folder they apply

Action Steps: Create your folder set up then follow your methodology.

Suggestion 1: To Do, Follow-Up, When Time Allows

Suggestion 2: Important, Urgent, Not Important or Urgent

Example: I open an email requesting a new tool, I move the email to my “To Do” folder and start to work on the new tool. I finish the tool, attach it to the reply and send it. I then move the email into the “Completed” folder.

Pros: Folders keep your inbox empty for new emails and is customizable to your style.

Cons: Emails become “hidden” in folders, you might forget about emails, and some emails might fit multiple folders which makes sorting difficult.

General Tips and Ticks

    • Inbox Rules: Inbox rules can filter emails before they reach your inbox like marking and email as important and moved into a folder.
    • Underscore_Order: If you want a folder to show higher than it does alphabetically, add an _underscore_ to the front of the name.
    • Email Signature: Be sure to update your email signature so people know who you are – both on a computer and on your phone.
    • Customizable Actions: Change your customize action to fit your management style.
    • Outlook App: The Outlook App is very useful for checking your @ksu.edu email. Be sure to download it!

Now that your inbox is organized, get your calendar organized too with our Calendar Tips and Tricks Success Tool.