cleaning out my closet

Something unusual

This is not about the eminem hit: “Cleaning out my closet”. I did something unusual. I started cleaning. Not that cleaning is so unusual, but this had to happen a lot sooner. It started with cleaning up my digital life. I cleaned up my desk. Than I started cleaning my folders on my computer and I ended with the most daunting task. I cleaned out my mail-account, now I reached zero e-mails in my inbox.

Inbox zero

Inbox zero is a concept coined by productivity people. Here’s a detailed description of inbox zero. Reaching inbox zero can be of use to you as well because:

  • you need less time to find the correct e-mail
  • you can setup your inbox to do specific things for you, without your assistence
  • more clarity
  • less clutter
  • less stress

If my little list above has convinced you. You might try it as well. It might get you less stress that you need in your life. Everybody needs less stress in their life, especially people whom are online often. People like you and me.

How did I achieve my inbox zero?

I took the simple pants-in-seat approach. I went over every e-mail and decide than and there what I was going to do with it. A lot ended up in the thrash, obviously. Some just needed to be sorted out, so learn how to move them to folders, or if you have gmail, learn to setup labels and filters.

Now, everytime I get an e-mail, I decide directly what I want to do with it. Is it a newsletter I no longer enjoy reading, unsubscribe. I do it immediatly. I don’t let it simmer. I’m to proud of my inbox zero to let it sit.

What about e-mails that need to be followed up? Put them in a seperate folder, do the step that needs to be done and put it into your calendar, so you have a dedicated time to follow it up again.

Don’t let your e-mail dictate your life, let yourself dictate your e-mails fate.

Every post is written first in scrivener 3, which you can get a 30 day free trial of here at literature and latte.

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