All of us are slaves to our mailbox so what happens when it gets full and we can’t send or receive any mails? We literally go nuts trying to get rid of any unwanted correspondence so that our lives can return to normal. Let’s try for a second to skip the madness and attempt to go about this in an orderly fashion. Here are 8 steps to clean out your inbox.
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Create a ‘to do’ Folder and Send Pending Mails There
Before you commence any cleaning out activity, first create a ‘to do’ folder which will contain all mails that require some action. Then start reviewing your inbox and moving such notes into this folder. Going forward don’t leaving pending work in your inbox, use the ‘to do’ folder. That way when your inbox is empty you know you’ve checked everything.
Figure out How Much Free Space You Have
Go to the settings of your email and ascertain how much free space you have. This way you know how critical the problem is and how much you have to achieve right away. In most cases you will be on the brink of disaster but there is no harm in checking.
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Get Rid of the Heaviest Mails First
You should also be able to view your mails in such a way that the largest ones are on top. Start deleting these first so that you enjoy some immediate relief from your problem. Of course, before deleting heavy mails, check if you are in a position to do without it.
Delete All Online Publications
Newsletters and online publications are usually available on the host site so you should be deleting them the minute you receive them. If you don’t, set up an automatic trash feature right away. Next, delete these mails.
Archive All Remaining Mails
Now that the unnecessary stuff is done away with, begin the process of archiving all remaining mails, except those in your ‘to do’ folder. It usually takes a while but knowing that you have a back up for everything is a reassuring feeling.
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Verify That the Archive Has Taken Place Successfully
Once the archive is complete verify that it has been successful. The last thing you want to do is delete everything and then find that the back up didn’t take place fully. Run a few sample checks and satisfy yourself that the archive is complete.
Delete All Mails except Those in Your ‘to do’ Folder
Next, select all the mails in your mailbox ensuring that the ‘to do’ folder is left alone and delete everything. It will be a surprisingly liberating feeling. It is also reassuring to know that you have a back up just in case you need to look back on an old mail.
Repeat Every Week
Finally and most importantly, repeat this process every week. This way you will do so in a calm unhurried fashion and probably find even better ways to do it.
Living your life in an orderly fashion requires ensuring there is order in the things around you and keeping your inbox organized is an excellent first step. The suggestions above should get you well on your way towards achieving this goal.
Top image source: static.guim.co.uk
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