Organize Your Inbox!

There aren't many of us in this field of work who enjoy being at a desk answering emails all day. Regardless of the level of enjoyment we get out of desk work, it is a well known fact that we just have to answer email from time to time. Despite the necessity of this common technology in our statewide workforce, the amount of time that is spent on email can be a bit overwhelming. Today's blog post highlights some quick tips to help reduce the overall amount of time spent on responding to and organizing emails.

Before going ahead with any of the tips below, it's typically best to start with a one-time organization. This means doing one of five things with the emails already clogging up your inbox: delete, respond, archive, defer (keep in inbox to take care of as soon as you are able), or delegate (forward to the appropriate person). As you receive new messages, continue doing this until you are able to establish an organization system that works for you.

The tips below can be used to lessen the amount of time you spend in your email and to create your own system of organization.

1. Individualize the Gmail settings for what works best for you. Some of these settings include:

• Smart Compose - allow Gmail to anticipate what you will type next in an email
• Nudges - allow Gmail to remind you when a message has not been responded to in a certain amount of time
• Button Labels - choose icons or text for better visualization

2. Archive the messages you no longer need but may want to reference at a later date. These messages can be looked up in the search bar or by looking in the "All Mail" folder.

3. Filters

• Filter spam messages by checking the box next to a message and clicking the "Report Spam" tab (octagon with an exclamation point) below the search bar.
• Automatically filter messages as the arrive by subject, sender or even size. Check the box next to the type of message you want to filter, then go to the last tab under the search bar (three vertical dots). Choose "Filter messages like these" and fill out the form to your preferences.

4. Utilize Labels to organize messages you may need in the future. You can label messages and allow them to stay in your inbox, or move them to a specific label where they are no longer visible in your inbox. Messages can also be labeled multiple times if you want them in several different categories. For those who want to go the extra mile, labels can be color coded as well! 

• If you're beginning a new organization system, it may benefit to create a few different labels titled: *Action Required (color coded green), *Complete (color coded red), and *Waiting for response (color coded yellow). Using the asterisk will show the labels at the top of your list on the left column. 

5. Use stars to create categories within your inbox. You can color code messages by using Gmail settings (gear box in top right corner) to add a rainbow of colorful stars and symbols to your presets.

6. For faster navigating in Gmail, use the automatic keyboard shortcuts listed here! These shortcuts may take a while to get used to, but if you are frequently at your computer answering emails, you will become faster over time.

These tips can be used separately or in conjunction with each other to create your own organized inbox. While it may take some time to begin the process of better managing your email, it is worth the time spent on the initial effort to waste less time in your inbox long term.

**These tips were pulled from Udemy.com's "Complete Gmail Course"**