We have all been there. Our email box is full of messages.

Some have been read, but not responded to.

Some are “looming” unread.

Important ones are likely lost in the mix.

Unnecessary ones are taking up space.

For some, this mess of email causes mental clutter. This leads to a downhill spiral to feeling like you are always working in a state of defense just trying to keep up.

The interesting thing about email is that the process is private. No one “watches” someone else process their inbox to see tips and tricks. We weren’t taught approaches in school. Our work gave us an email address, but no guide on how to use the channel effectively.

At work, we might have conversations with others about feeling overwhelmed by email, but we don’t talk about strategies to get us out of the challenge. 

My Story

I always say that what works for me may not work for you and that is true.  However, I want to share my email organization structure as inspiration you might try if you are feeling email overwhelm.

I realized about five years ago (wish it would have been sooner) that all emails aren’t created equal, and they shouldn’t all mix together in the inbox.  So, I created the following three folders: 

• To Do: Holds emails that require action and are my personal responsibility to complete.
• To Review: Holds emails from others seeking my feedback on the content.
• To Read: Holds email newsletters, company bulletins, and other information I want to review.

During the day, when I get a few minutes, I clean my inbox by moving emails to these three folders and deleting any that I don’t want to keep.

Then, I have scheduled time to process the emails.  The “To Do” and “To Review” folders always take priority in these sessions, and I get to the “To Read” folder when I can.  In fact, this one is sometimes good to review in the evenings or on weekends.  Instead of reading a book, I’ll read newsletters and other content that has come my way that week.

Your Turn

Does email have you feeling overwhelmed?

Do you have strategies for managing your email?

If you don’t have a process, I would encourage you to give this a try. See what works and what doesn’t for your specific situation and modify accordingly. Through a bit of trial and error, you may find your perfect solution for this private work.

I can guarantee (from experience) the overwhelm won’t stop by continuing your current approach!