The Life-Changing Magic of the Inbox Sort Folder
|
Posted By: How May I Help You NC on April 28, 2017 Back to Basics It’s been a while since I’ve geeked out here on Study Hacks about the latest productivity hack to earn my enthusiasm. So it’s with some excitement that I bring up my latest favorite tip: the inbox sort folder. It’s not uncommon for me to go two or three days without seeing my email inbox. When I subsequently return, the volume of its contents can be overwhelming. The inbox sort folder method is something I stumbled into that helps me tame this mess. The idea is simple… 1.Create a folder in your email inbox named “sort” (if, like me, you use Gmail, then create a label with this name; as shown above). 2.Pick a topic that describes several of your unread messages. For example, there might be multiple messages related to a specific project, or multiple messages about a meeting you’re organizing. 3.Move all messages related to that topic into your sort folder. 4.Go into your sort folder and process through these messages until the folder is empty. 5.Return to your inbox and loop back to Step 2, looking for another topic that describes multiple messages. Repeat until the inbox is empty. Logically speaking, this trick of moving a group of related messages to a temporary folder before processing shouldn’t make a big difference. But psychologically speaking, it does help. A lot. Tackling a stack of messages all related to the same topic, one after another, while watching the sort folder diminish toward empty as you go, somehow ends up much easier than tackling those same messages in a scattered order as you make your way through your chaotic inbox in a less structured manner. I can’t explain the exact mechanism behind this hack’s effectiveness, but it certainly does help me maintain my sanity when I have to return to the world of workplace communication after travel or long deep work binges. Give it a try. You’ll understand what I mean. http://calnewport.com/blog/ If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
How May I Help You NC
Management, See Moss Interactive Bellarmine University class of 2021 Member Since January 2011 |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest Graduate School Info
 |
Graduate Student Fellowship Opportunity!We, at www.stemuscenter.org, just completed our first two informational sessions on Research Fellowship opportunity for STEM and Social Science doctoral students.
The mission of our center is to te ...more
Manisha Maurya • 1,369 Views • October 23rd, 2024 |
 |
4 Habits for Success in Online SchoolOnline education has become an increasingly popular option for students over the years, especially due to the current global pandemic. However, succeeding in online school takes more than just a good ...more
Anica Oaks • 1,667 Views • February 1st, 2024 |
Popular Graduate School Info
 |
People Judge Your Intelligence Based on the Tone of Your Voice and How Fast You Speak
Do you want people to think you are intelligent? Has someone ever told you “You’re much smarter than you look.”?
No doubt it can sting to be perceived as less intelligent, particularly when you ...more
How May I Help You NC • 30,524 Views • June 12th, 2017 |
 |
How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension If youd like to improve your reading comprehension, try the SQ3R method. This is an acronym that means: Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review.
Heres how it works:
Survey Your Text
Prior t ...more
How May I Help You NC • 24,073 Views • June 12th, 2017 |
 |
Never procrastinate and always free time…..One blog I read regularly is by Leo Babauta, called zen habits. Essentially, he writes all about simplifying your life. A while ago, Scott Young was a guest blogger for Babuata’s website and wrote a p ...more
How May I Help You NC • 13,813 Views • April 19th, 2018 |
 |
MVSU to host Graduate Expo March 1Why should you consider an advanced degree? How will you finance your graduate education? What program of study is the best fit for you?
For the answer to these questions and many more, attend Mis ...more
How May I Help You NC • 12,722 Views • February 27th, 2018 |
 |
How Academic Parents Can Find Time to ExerciseA question that often comes up when I do campus workshops on work/life balance is how and when busy academic parents can find time to exercise. As we get older, it becomes increasingly important for u ...more
How May I Help You NC • 12,393 Views • April 19th, 2018 |
