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Four simple steps to help spring-clean your inbox

Just like sitting at a desk that is swamped with documents and to-do lists, having a messy digita...
Newstalk
Newstalk

11.38 8 Jun 2017


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Four simple steps to help spri...

Four simple steps to help spring-clean your inbox

Newstalk
Newstalk

11.38 8 Jun 2017


Share this article


Just like sitting at a desk that is swamped with documents and to-do lists, having a messy digital space is bad for productivity. Putting simple systems in place can lighten the burden for a busy digital presence.

Regardless of what email provider you use or if it’s a work account rather than personal; it is possible to manage your emails efficiently.

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The key to this is the four “D’s”. This process was initially championed by David Allen, author of “Getting Things Done” but can be tailored to suit the needs of anyone. The four “D’s” are:

  • Delete
  • Delegate
  • Defer
  • Do

Delete: A small fraction of the emails that are sent and received are important. Don’t be afraid to “Ctrl D” after a quick scan. Sort the inbox by conversation and delete emails from the earlier part of the conversation.

Delegate: If an action by someone else is required, forward the mail onto someone else and then delete it. This conversation will be stored in sent items rather than clogging up the inbox.

Defer: When an action is required that will take some time or will need to be completed at a later date, copy the content into a cloud-based calendar, set a reminder and delete the email.

Do: If an action is required and can be completed without too much effort, do it and then delete the email.

Don’t be afraid to unsubscribe too. If the majority of the emails that live in your recycle bin are newsletters or “special offers”, set aside five minutes to unsubscribe from them all. Fans of Groupon and Deal Rush should check out MyDealPage.ie. This page pulls the offers from Groupon, GrabOne, Deal Rush and so on into one web page, saving on multiple emails.

You'll find more productivity tips here


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