You’ve got mail - Controlling your Inbox

We all have far too much to do everyday and would love more time to focus on the things we love, so why is it that so many of us double or triple handle our emails?

To control your “Inbox” you have to establish new habits. The following guidelines will assist you to “manage your mail”.

• Set times during the day to check your emails. Perhaps aim for 3 times a day - in the morning, after lunch and before you go home for the day.


• Use the 2 minute rule – action anything that can be done in less than two minutes. Read each email and action it then and there [don't forget to delete it once you have dealt with it]. The majority of our emails can be handled immediately with a quick answer.


• If it is not a quick email place the email into your follow up area and establish time in your day to action the follow up items. Don’t leave them there and forget about them. It is really important to follow up otherwise they will become urgent and take a lot more of your valuable time.


• Set a goal to have not more than 15 emails in your inbox at any one time.


• Try and delete emails every day, don’t forget your sent items, deleted items and junk email folders


• Make folders to place your emails that require further action – limit the number of folders and have meaningful folders like follow up, to read, to phone etc

LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana on 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.