Inboxing Championships

The goal is to keep messages in your email inbox to a minimum. I work on a laptop with a 13-inch screen, and I try to make sure the emails in my inbox aren’t longer than my screen – no matter how busy I get. (That’s less than 20 emails.) Your inbox is supposed to be a waiting room for emails that you are about to answer or archive, but it often becomes a holding cell for procrastination and guilt over unanswered questions and pending decisions.

The best solution is to keep up on it daily. Sit down in front of the TV or put on your favorite iTunes and follow these steps:

Emails usually fall into one of these categories:
1. Junk mail – throw it away immediately and get a good spam-blocker.
2. Mail in limbo – sometimes it’s not obvious that mail is “junk” because you might want to read it someday, and you may have even signed up for a mailing list at some point. Spend a couple of minutes to decide whether you will honestly ever read this email. Create a folder titled “To Read,” and file away any emails that you want to read later (when you’re bored)… and read the others immediately.
3. Are you accidentally subscribed to mailing lists? Many companies trick you into signing up for their mailing lists when you buy a product or use an online service. Unsubscribe immediately. All email lists must have an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. Click the link and follow the directions even if they are complicated – it will only take you a couple of minutes, but will save you headaches later.
4. Emails from people that you don’t want to talk to – answer them right away. The longer you wait, the more you will want to procrastinate. Keep it short, though. Only answer questions and don’t ask any, so you don’t encourage more back-and-forth.
5. Transfer to your to-do list. If we’re busy, we often use our inbox as our to-do list. You should remember to get these emails out of your inbox and on your calendar as soon as you can. For instance, if someone sends you an invitation, put it on your calendar and archive the email immediately.

Wasting time trying to save time?

I’m often asked for recommendations on time-saving and organizing products like iPhone apps, email programs, and PDAs. I even get the occasional question about day-planners (“is it okay that I still use one?”)

Don’t be fooled by electronic devices that offer to save you time – and end up costing you a day of sanity trying to use them.

Read this before you buy and app, download software… or even buy a day planner:

1.What already works for you? The best organizing product for you is going to be the easiest and most convenient to use. Think about it: you are wanting something that will save you time and make your life easier. Your life is already complicated enough. Keep this in mind when you’re looking for something to help you organize your life – make sure it doesn’t make you work harder than you already do. Look for an all-in-one package. For instance: the best phone/calendar is one that connects to your computer calendar. If you use Gmail, you should find a phone that can sync your gmail account with your phone email and phone calendar. Then (and this is the most important part), have someone “techie” set it up for you – call the help desk of whatever product you bought and don’t be shy about asking questions.

2.Keep it simple… and brainless Don’t spend 5 hours setting up a system that duplicates what you already do. For instance, I recently paid $4.95 for an iPhone app named Nubi Do. It has 4 stars, so it must work for many people, but not for me. I hunched over my phone and typed with my thumbs for almost an hour. I had to copy my to do list line-by-line into the Nubi Do rows because there wasn’t a way to import a document. All the while, I was skeptical whether it was a good use of my time… and it wasn’t.

3. List to calendar, and repeat The best organizational system is a list, a calendar, and lots of persistence. Carry a pad of paper or a phone with you at all times and be ready to add things to your list as soon as you think of them. We don’t always remember important to-do list items when it’s most convenient, so be prepared to sit down on a park bench or pull your car over in order to write it down before you forget. Then, take out your calendar at the end of the day, and write your to-do list on specific days and times. Keep trying this every day, and you won’t need any fancy electronics – just a big dose of persistence.