Page 3 | About inbox zero

Pigeonpocket · 21/07/2021 15:58

@FuriousCheekyFucker

Those of you with thousands of unread emails - they can't be that important or you would be getting chased on them? Why not just set a rule that if it isn't read within x weeks it gets deleted/moved?

I'm betting a lot of the emails are cc's or info only - in that case, why not set a rule to get them out of your inbox? Then anything actually in there is something worthwhile rather than just effectively spam.

I love having an empty inbox - anything that requires action is flagged and tagged, anything that isn't is moved out and the action (or inaction) of moving it tells my brain that I've not forgotten anything.

There are many ways to electronically organise yourself though, no "rights" or "wrongs" - everyone develops their own methods as to what their job/role/industry is and how it makes them effective (or not!)

Why though? They're not doing any harm sitting there. I'm pretty good at searching my emails for stuff I want.

FuriousCheekyFucker · 21/07/2021 16:02

@Pigeonpocket & @MasterBeth

Why?

I thought I explained the why? Because it helps me focus. I also explained that this is why I do not, and caveated that although it works for me, it may not work for others.

Why are you after a fight where there is none?

MasterBeth · 21/07/2021 16:10

[quote FuriousCheekyFucker]**@Pigeonpocket* & @MasterBeth*

Why?

I thought I explained the why? Because it helps me focus. I also explained that this is why I do not, and caveated that although it works for me, it may not work for others.

Why are you after a fight where there is none?[/quote]
I’m not fighting - I was answering your two questions… “Why not set a rule…?” with my honest answer “because I can’t be arsed.”

I am happy for anyone to deal with their email how they choose!

Ironmanrocks · 21/07/2021 16:13

I have over 30,000 emails in my various inboxes, all read and none of them organised. Who cares. I don't like to see them unread but I can't be arsed to go through them all and sort...

FAD2016 · 21/07/2021 16:31

So far this week I have received over 200 emails. The real junk has mainly been deleted already the rest I need to ‘triage’ and action. If I dealt with every email as I received it I would have no time to do a big proportion of the tasks I need to do. Some issues ‘time out’ and the sender either wasn’t bothered about getting a reply or found their solution elsewhere but the majority stick around like a bad smell waiting for me to deal with. It’s a constant battle and I pray for a truly empty inbox rather than a fake empty inbox because I have moved all the messages to a side folder.

MegaBeach · 21/07/2021 18:49

I have 54,000 unread emails - lots of spam & crap I don’t need

HouseyHouse21 · 21/07/2021 19:20

I operate an inbox zero policy, it helps me feel on top of things and takes no extra time once it becomes a habit.

BoredZelda · 21/07/2021 19:24

What if you delete something by mistake?

That’s what the delete items folder is for.

But if you have hundreds of unread emails, you aren’t dealing with it, so what difference does it make of you delete it?

My mailbox is empty. I take time at the end of a working week to focus on any that haven’t been dealt with. If I didn’t have time to deal with emails, I’d be speaking to my boss about my workload.

My husband is an IT manager. I suppose all of you with thousands of unread emails would be happy if he just ignored your request to fix the vitally important IT issue you have.

NoSquirrels · 21/07/2021 19:28

I’m going to assume that as this is the only post under this username- which is very ‘tidy, clutter-free’ that for some reason the OP decided to name change, for the very outing post of being a productivity guru and achieving inbox zen.

Or they’re on a wind-up.

Whatevs.

StarryStarrySocks · 21/07/2021 19:30

It's extremely odd in my opinion. I occasionally delete, occasionally file into folders but more often than not emails are read and just stay in the inbox. I like to be able to refer back to them and they're easier to sort if they're all in one place.

JassyRadlett · 21/07/2021 19:31

Those of you with thousands of unread emails - they can't be that important or you would be getting chased on them? Why not just set a rule that if it isn't read within x weeks it gets deleted/moved?

No, a lot of them aren’t urgent (distinct from important - something might need no immediate action from me but still be important) - they’re there for an audit trail, etc. A lot of what is in my inbox I’ve read; the unreads tend to be mailing lists or similar that I know I don’t need to read and will delete in a mailbox purge at some point, or have read the last item on the chain, or have read on my phone and it hasn’t synced with outlook.

I'm betting a lot of the emails are cc's or info only - in that case, why not set a rule to get them out of your inbox?

Because I don’t see any need to. It doesn’t bother me and it makes my life easier to have it there. I use the search function in my inbox a lot; it’s easier to have it all in one place and in my line of work something sent as a ‘for info’ six months ago can turn into something needed urgently very quickly.

Lazyteens · 21/07/2021 19:38

I started a new role and am taking over from someone. I get 50 ish emails a day (most require action) and a list of around 99 handover tasks that also require action. I started filing emails but just don’t have the time, and trying to search for them is difficult when they are in different folder, so have started flagging and ticking them off but leaving in my inbox. Not sure if this is the best approach (or if the job is for me but that’s another story) but I am giving it a go….

KnightandDay · 21/07/2021 19:44

@Florabella

I have just over 43,000 unread emails!!! I think it is too late to deal with them now!

I feel better about my 702 unread emails now 😜

HalzTangz · 21/07/2021 19:45

@MariesCondo

Everyday I end the day with no unread emails. I either deal with an email immediately so it requires no further action or I put what needs to be done on my to do list for the day I will deal with it. I have worked full time in a demanding job for 15 years and this is how I have always worked. I have the same approach to my personal emails.

A friend has told me this is odd. Is it? I don’t understand what other way there is to function! 😆

I put emails that require something doing back as unread, once task is done, I confirm by email then delete. I delete all spam and junk immediately. I have rules set up to move emails to certain folders etc.

meyi · 21/07/2021 19:52

My husband is an IT manager. I suppose all of you with thousands of unread emails would be happy if he just ignored your request to fix the vitally important IT issue you have.
I fail to see the connection between those things. I work in IT, I have thousands of unemails, it's easy enough to see for most things just off the subject and first line preview when scrolling what it is and if it's someone needing help or just a promotion email or whatever.

JaceLancs · 21/07/2021 19:55

I have zero unread emails work or personal
Regularly unsubscribing works for me

BoredZelda · 21/07/2021 20:12

I fail to see the connection between those things.

It’s about doing your job, which includes answering the emails people send you.

it's easy enough to see for most things just off the subject and first line preview when scrolling what it is and if it's someone needing help or just a promotion email or whatever.

It’s also easy enough to click delete or move for the ones that don’t need your attention.

meyi · 21/07/2021 20:15

@BoredZelda

I fail to see the connection between those things.

It’s about doing your job, which includes answering the emails people send you.

it's easy enough to see for most things just off the subject and first line preview when scrolling what it is and if it's someone needing help or just a promotion email or whatever.

It’s also easy enough to click delete or move for the ones that don’t need your attention.

It's far easier for me to just scroll through and look and not click and delete or move and I do my job fine including answering emails that need to be

insancerre · 21/07/2021 20:17

I’ve just taken over from someone at work and they had 5 email addresses all with hundreds of unread messages
I spent a long time deleting them
Now when I log on the unread emails are ones that need dealing with and it feels more manageable instead of overwhelming

JassyRadlett · 21/07/2021 20:17

It’s also easy enough to click delete or move for the ones that don’t need your attention.

I think that’s great if that’s how your job works - that if they’re going to need your attention, they need it now. Not all jobs are like that, though, so a lot of things don’t get immediately deleted.

Why would I spend time moving them when it has no advantage for me?

youdoyoutoday · 21/07/2021 20:18

I'm kinda in the middle, all emails that should be dealt with by the end of the day, are. Then I colour coded emails almost like a to do list as some emails where specifically date relevant and others I may be waiting on someone else's info so I can answer the email in my inbox.

TheSunShinesBrighter · 21/07/2021 20:19

@chunderwunder

'Hi there! I'm absolutely fabulous at task management and would like to disingenuously point out that I can't understand why everyone else isn't. I'll even add a fun emoji to show that I'm not bragging! Tra la la!'

Sometimes an emoji says it all...

🤨😒🤨😒

TheSunShinesBrighter · 21/07/2021 20:20

I’m the same OP!
I delete most of them and save the important ones!
Not weird at all.

newnortherner111 · 21/07/2021 20:21

OP, not completely unusual and a sensible way to try to work. You may not always succeed but even if only 80-90% of the time you will be more likely to be someone people appreciate working with. As long as you don't do work emails out of work hours and have boundaries.

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 21/07/2021 20:22

My husband is an IT manager. I suppose all of you with thousands of unread emails would be happy if he just ignored your request to fix the vitally important IT issue you have.

He uses emails rather than a ticketing system?