Get Dozens of Emails Per Day? Here’s How to Manage Your Inbox

If you’re like many people who receive dozens – or more – emails every day, you know how quickly things get overwhelming. Fortunately, you can hire a virtual assistant to manage your email inbox and keep you sane… but if hiring a VA isn’t for you, you can use these ten tips as lifelines to prevent yourself from drowning in data.

Get Dozens of Emails Per Day? Here’s How to Manage Your Inbox

Check out these ten tips to help you keep your email inbox under control:

Use labels and folders (and subfolders if necessary)
Set rules or filters to cut out emails you don’t need
Only keep urgent emails in your inbox
Use a digital calendar to remind you to follow up
Scrap junk mail immediately
Spend some time creating templates for easy responses
Block off time to check your email (and stick to your schedule)
Turn off your notifications
Sync your email to your phone, and check it during downtime
Unsubscribe to literally everything (and resubscribe with a different email address if you really want to)

Here’s a closer look at each.

Tip #1 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Use Labels and Folders (and Subfolders, if Necessary)

If you want to keep your email inbox organized, one of the best things you can do is set up labels and folders (and subfolders, if needed). This will allow you to quickly see what needs your attention and what can be set aside for later.

Creating Labels and Folders in Gmail

To create labels and folders in Gmail, open your settings. Then, click on the “Labels” tab and create a new label. Give your label a name and click “Create.”

Next, click on the “Folders” tab and create a new folder. Again, give your folder a name and click “Create.”

Now, you can move messages into your new label or folder by selecting the message and then clicking on the label or folder you want to move it to.

Creating Folders in Outlook

To create folders in Outlook, right-click on the word “Inbox” in the left pane. Then, select “New Folder” from the drop-down. Name the folder whatever you’d like. Then, you can set automatic rules (see Tip #2 below for more information on creating rules in Outlook).

Tip #2 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Set Rules or Filters to Cut Out Emails You Don’t Need

Another great way to keep your inbox organized is to set up rules or filters. This will allow you to automatically move certain emails into labels or folders so you don’t have to do it manually.

Creating Filters in Gmail

In Gmail, you can create filters by opening the settings menu and clicking on the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab. Then, click on “Create a new filter.”

From there, you can specify what kind of emails you want to filter. For example, you could filter all emails from a certain sender or all emails with a certain keyword in the subject line.

After you’ve specified what kind of emails you want to filter, click on “Create filter with this search.” Then, check the boxes next to the actions you want Gmail to take when it encounters an email that meets your criteria.

Creating Rules in Outlook

In Outlook, you can create rules by going to the “Rules” tab in the settings menu. Then, click on “New Rule.”

From there, you can specify what kind of emails you want to filter. For example, you could filter all emails from a certain sender or all emails with a certain keyword in the subject line.

After you’ve specified what kind of emails you want to filter, click on “Next.” Then, check the boxes next to the actions you want Outlook to take when it encounters an email that meets your criteria.

Tip #3 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Only Keep Urgent Emails in Your Inbox

One way to cut down on the number of emails in your inbox is to only keep urgent emails there. This means filtering or labeling non-urgent emails so they’re not taking up space in your inbox.

You can use the tips in the previous section to set up filters or labels for non-urgent emails. Then, you can check those emails when you have time, but they won’t be taking up space in your inbox.

Tip #4 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Use a Digital Calendar to Remind You to Follow Up

If you have emails that need a follow-up, one way to make sure you don’t forget is to add them to your digital calendar. This way, you’ll get a reminder when it’s time to follow up.

Using Google Calendar

To do this in Gmail, open the email you want to add to your calendar. Then, click on the “More” button (it looks like three dots) and select “Add to Calendar.”

Using Outlook Calendar

In Outlook, open the email you want to add to your calendar. Then, click on the “Flag” button and select “Add to Calendar.”

Tip #5 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Scrap Junk Mail Immediately

Get rid of junk mail immediately. This way, you won’t even have to see it in your inbox.

How to Scrap Junk Mail in Gmail

In Gmail, you can do this by opening the email and clicking on the “More” button (it looks like three dots). Then, select “Filter messages like these.” From there, you can specify what kind of emails you want to filter. For example, you could filter all emails from a certain sender or all emails with a certain keyword in the subject line.

How to Scrap Junk Mail in Outlook

In Outlook, you can do this by opening the email and clicking on the “Junk” button. Then, select “Block Sender.”

Tip #6 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Spend Some Time Creating Templates for Easy Responses

If you find yourself sending the same email over and over, save yourself some time by creating a template. That way, you can just fill in the blanks instead of typing out the entire email each time.

Creating Email Templates in Gmail

To create a template in Gmail, click “Settings.” Then, click “Advanced.” In the “Templates” section, select “Enable.” At the bottom, click “Save Changes.”

Then, you can open Gmail and click “Compose.” Enter your template text in the window; then click “More,” which is three vertical dots. Then, click “Save draft as template” immediately followed by “Save as new template.”

Creating Email Templates in Outlook

In Outlook, you can create email templates by going to the “File” tab and selecting “New.” Then, click on “Email Message” and choose “Use an Existing Template.” Find the template you want to use and click “Open.”

Tip #7 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Block Off Time to Check Your Email (And Stick to Your Schedule)

If you have a lot of email to get through, it can be helpful to block off time in your schedule specifically for dealing with email. This way, you can focus on email and get through it more quickly.

It can be helpful to set a timer when you’re dealing with email so you don’t get too bogged down. For example, you could set a timer for 30 minutes and see how many emails you can get through in that time.

Tip #8 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Turn Off Your Notifications

If you’re constantly getting notifications about new email, it can be hard to focus on anything else. The simplest way to make sure you’re not interrupted by email is to turn off your notifications.

How to Turn Off Notifications in Gmail

In Gmail, go to “Settings” and then click on the “General” tab. In the “Desktop notifications” section, select “Off.”

How to Turn Off Notifications in Outlook

To turn off notifications in Outlook, go to the “File” tab and select “Options.” Then, click on the “Mail” tab. In the “Message arrival” section, uncheck the box next to “Display a Desktop Alert.”

Tip #9 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Sync Your Email to Your Phone, and Check It During Downtime

If you’re always on the go, it can be helpful to sync your email to your phone. That way, you can check it when you have a few minutes of down time.

How to Sync Gmail With an iPhone

To set up Gmail on your iPhone, open the “Settings” app and tap on “Mail.” Then, tap on “Accounts,” and tap on “Add Account.” Tap on “Google” and enter your Gmail information. Then, turn on the “Mail,” “Contacts,” and “Calendars” switches.

How to Sync Gmail With an Android Phone

To set up Gmail on your Android phone, open the “Settings” app and tap on “Accounts & Sync.” Then, tap on “Add Account.” Tap on “Google” and enter your Gmail information. Then, turn on the “Sync Gmail” switch.

How to Sync Outlook With an iPhone

To set up Outlook on your iPhone, open the “Settings” app and tap on “Mail.” Then, tap on “Accounts,” and tap on “Add Account.” Tap on “Outlook.com” and enter your Outlook information.

How to Sync Outlook With an Android Phone

To set up Outlook on your Android phone, open the “Settings” app and tap on “Accounts & Sync.” Then, tap on “Add Account.” Tap on “Outlook.com” and enter your Outlook information.

Tip #10 for Managing Your Email Inbox: Unsubscribe to Literally Everything (And Resubscribe With a Different Email Address If You Really Want To)

If your inbox is always overflowing, it might be time to unsubscribe from some of the email lists you’re on. This can be a difficult task, but it’s worth it in the long run.

To unsubscribe from an email list, look for the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email. If you can’t find the link, you can try contacting the company directly and asking to be removed from the list.

If you really want to keep receiving emails from a particular company or website, you can always create a new email address just for those messages. That way, they won’t clutter up your primary inbox.

Managing your email inbox doesn’t have to be a nightmare. With these tips, you can take control of your inbox and start getting through your email more quickly and efficiently. And naturally, you can always hire a virtual assistant to help slog through your emails and keep you focused.

Do You Need to Talk About Hiring a Virtual Assistant to Manage Your Email… and More?

Hiring a virtual assistant can take so much stress off your shoulders – and it’s about more than simply cleaning up email inboxes and handling minor tasks. Your virtual assistant can give you the gift of time; time that you can use to do what really matters, like growing your business.

Let’s set up a time to talk. Fill out the form below so I can show you how I can make your life easier – and give you the time to enjoy it.

Get Dozens of Emails Per Day? Here’s How to Manage Your Inbox