Email Organization

Good news the email files in your computer are just like paper files, and can be organized just as easily. In fact, most email programs, even the one that came installed on your computer, already have wonderful organizing features built in. That means you don't have to start from scratch with the initial set-up, and there is much less work over the long haul. Your plan of attack includes a system for incoming, outgoing, and filed email messages.

INCOMING
Create folders for main categories such as: In Box, To Read, To Follow Up, To Do. Your In Box will probably be the dumping ground for all the email you receive, so rather than try to read every message that arrives in you In Box, try to sort these messages before processing them. Better yet, automate this process with a filtering system or rules.

For example, to delete spam or adult material from entering your In Box, just turn on or select the Junk Mail/Adult Content feature on your email program. If you have a helpful coworker, ask them how to do this; otherwise, refer to the Help section of your software program. This will cut out a large amount of your email, and you can begin to sort and file the remaining messages.

But as with any organizing project, before you can organize and maintain the paperwork, you must first sort it. If you skip this step, you'll never catch up, so do take the time to plan for all the categories of email you receive on a regular basis. Create a New Folder for each of the categories on your master list (you did make one, didn't you?), then file all emails that deal with each topic into its respective folder. For instance, you might put all your newsletters or Ezines into a To Be Read folder to be printed and carried home or read at your desk when you have spare time. Invoices should go into To Pay, Inquiries from Customers can be filed in the To Call folder, and pending complaints requiring a future action should be filed in the Follow Up file and then flagged for action at a later date.

OUTBOUND
Not only can you filter unwanted messages, and then file others, but you can send customized messages in response to your incoming mail. Just create a message as a template, save it in a compatible format, and make a filter or “rule” whereby this message is sent when a certain incoming message is received. This is like a simple voice mail message or autoresponder you can maintain yourself. It’s an excellent way to keep track of subscribers to an ezine, inquiries, responses to a survey, etc. You can even create an Out of the Office message to send out when you're on holiday to streamline your mail management and save you hours of reading upon your return.

FILE AS YOU GO
Create folders within your email program just as you have recently done on your organized desk top. Be as precise as you wish, creating folders within folders and creating names that make sense to you. If you have an excellent memory for detail, and have limited interruptions, then perhaps you just need to make just a few folders to catch all your mail. You can even make a folders for each person on your mailing list--the ideas are endless.

As you finish reading each incoming message, file it in the appropriate folder: trash, client, follow-up, add to database, and so forth. If you file on a daily basis, all the better. Consider purge your Deleted Items folder on a regular basis to further reduce clutter. Afterall, there's no need to look at all those messages that you have no intention of reading, which provides you with more time to tackle those To Do's. Once you get the system in place, filing as you go will prevent the paper monster from rearing its ugly head again.

Debbie Williams is an author, speaker and radio host who offers tools and training to help you put your life in order. Learn more at OrganizedTimes.com