Organize your mailbox

By Anna Sporring
Posted Monday, December 13, 2004

How many times have you desperately been searching through hundreds of emails, looking for one specific piece of information. You know it's there somewhere, but you just can't find it. While you are looking you find loads of really useful stuff you didn't even know you had. As well as loads of crap!

This problem is getting way too common. The information age is drowning us if we don't fight back. To me this used to be a huge problem, but I solved for myself! Now I want to share my system with your, hoping it will prove useful.

The first thing you need to do is figure out a system that works for you. I will give you some ideas about filing, but if this is going to work, you need to find a filing system that is logical to YOU. To start with here is what I suggest. You can modify the idea for yourself later.

I will assume your email software lets you create folders. Most people these days are using Outlook or a similar software. I you don't have such a program then you need to save your important emails to a folder-tree on your desktop.

First create a folder for the following: 'private' and 'work'. Inside these folders create subfolders. I suggest for 'work': 'to do', 'to read', 'to save', 'to use' and 'check later'.

For private I suggest you create one folder named 'family' and one named 'friends'. And possibly one for whatever hobby you are in to. You get the idea.

Now comes the really, really time consuming task. But it's gotta be done, so roll up your sleeves and get busy!

You need to read through EVERY email in your inbox! I'm not kidding! You can skim the ones you are absolutely sure you are not going to save. Delete the ones you don't need. Then sort the ones you want or need to save, into the folder-tree you just created.

Once this job is done, you will never want to go back to the old 'filing system' again. At least you will not want to do this job one more than once. So now it's up to you to keep you mail organized. Don't let yourself slip back into old habits, and you'll be fine.

Now, doesn't that feel good? You have done a great job! Congratulations. No more looking for missing information, no more frustration. Every time you go through your daily emails, you know exactly where to put them.

Do you know what you just did? You created Freedom! Imagine all the time you freed up just by organizing your information like this.

Go make yourself a really nice cup of coffee now, or tea or a drink or whatever you like. You've earned a break.

PS. This article was written using Ezine Article Creator. Get your copy here: (http://www.oppstar.com/ezinecreator)

About the Author
Anna Sporring is an experienced writer and the publisher of Oppstar Weekly - an eZine focusing on helping you grow your opt-in list and your business with your own newsletter. Subscribe here: (http://www.oppstar.com/subscribe.htm)