Please hold my hand (Outlook related)

[HardCandyChristmas]

Today the year turns, and I have made the bold decision to move from 91 work e-mail subfolders to just 5!

Please tell me I'll never look back

Theres currently 22000 emails in my inbox and I can always find the email I need. Colleagues marvel at my ability to track an email down.

This is a subfolder free zone .

@FestiveStuffing

Off topic, but does anyone else find that Outlook filters absolutely anything of any real importance into the junk folder?

Yes, I didn’t notice for I don’t know how long and often wonder if I missed anything important. Now I have to remember to check. Plus it doesn’t seem to remember I have marked things as not junk. Sheesh,

@GivemeGinandTonic

There’s an enormous difference between outlook old version, and outlook as part of Microsoft 365. They are night and day in my experience - it’s likely that people using the old Outlook find the search crap.

How can you find out which version you are using please?

I went from 20+ to 1. ONE

Inbox and filed. That’s it. It stays in the inbox till I’ve done it then it goes to filed. It’s actually easier to find stuff now!

@ADMum20

Those who don’t have folders... do you keep all your emails in your inbox?

Is this work or personal email? Or both?

Work email. Yes, I kept everything in my inbox so it's also accessible from my phone, but now I'm WFH this is less important.

I realise some people are freaked out by having 1000s of emails in their inbox but my inbox is not my to-do list. When i check my emails I add items to my to-do list or take action immediately if it will take less than 2 minutes.

You’ve just reminded me that I’ve got over 800 unread emails ☹️ I blame a lot of it on being on mailing lists I shouldn’t be on and even when I ask to be removed I’m not. Also, people pressing ‘reply all’ just to say ‘thanks’ which then encourages 30 other people to do the same 😫 Cheers then...not.

@Alternista

I went from 20+ to 1. ONE

Inbox and filed. That’s it. It stays in the inbox till I’ve done it then it goes to filed. It’s actually easier to find stuff now!

This is what I need to hear

Yes I did this, went from 30 files per project to 1 plus a couple of others for non-project stuff. So much time is saved not spending ages filing emails! It was a trend a few years ago among all the senior managers.

I also accidentally deleted my inbox a few years ago, I went from extremely panicked to strangely liberated! (IT got it back eventually).

A good tip I heard for reducing inbox clutter is to search for the word 'unsubscribe' and then you can sweep up all the newsletters into the bin.

This has given me the inspiration to sort my mailboxes folders! Thanks!

Ooh i work in a business that emails are deleted after a certain number of days (and not retrievable gone forever no archive) so i dont file now. I do use the flagging system though. Flag if i need to action. I have no folders now.

If you flag stuff in newer outlook versions, and your company licence has Microsoft To Do - flagged stuff appears as a To do list item. Revolutionary!

Lurking for tips.

I had a very efficient manager who helped me to minimise files and keep.my inbox to a minimum but I do need a good tidy up over Christmas. I'm getting messy again!

@HardCandyChristmas you have inspired me! I am clearing through my emails with abandon😂

Plan is for 3 -4 folders and categorise my inbox.

@Palavah

A good tip I heard for reducing inbox clutter is to search for the word 'unsubscribe' and then you can sweep up all the newsletters into the bin.

Oh that's a great idea!

Ooh also inspired here. I have 5000 emails in my inbox and 8 or 9 subfolders. Am going in.

I also colour-code my emails into specific topics which helps and change the font colour for emails from certain people to make them easier to see if your inbox is full e.g. ones from my manager are bright pink, from my PM blue etc.

Oh wow, I need this in my (work) life! I'm so jealous OP. We use what must be the shittest email system known to man with a search function that will throw up every single email in your inbox even if you try and find ones just from one sender. Groupwise, utter pish.

I'd have a lot less emails if people knew how to use other ways of communicating instead of using email all the time.

@chomalungma

I'd have a lot less emails if people knew how to use other ways of communicating instead of using email all the time.

Totally agree - WFH has made this so much worse.

I'm going to try and persuade my team to move over to Teams chat from Jan instead of emailing about every single thing

Loving this idea. Was pondering just having a folder by year. Really tempted still but a little bit scared to take the plunge.

On the last day of my working year I archive all inbox e-mails to the previous year. So it's like starting with a clean slate. I only have a few folders. A personal, things to keep and the dept I work in. - I work in a place where you can do the same job but in different depts and when I move that e-mail goes into that years archive.