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Get a Fresh Start! (Part 2) |
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Last month, we talked about organizing your computer desktop. This month, we’ll tackle a thornier subject – all those emails in your Inbox! This may be enough to make the strongest among us shudder, but it’s not as bad as you think. If you’re used to creating folders on your computer to store files and documents, you can do the same for your emails. If you already know how to create folders in your email program, read on – we’ll offer you some suggestions on how to organize your folders effectively. First, a quick overview of folders. Most email programs have default folders such as Inbox, Outbox, Sent Items, and Deleted Items. All your new mail comes into the Inbox folder, and every email you’ve ever sent goes into the Sent Items folder. If you delete an email, it’s moved into the Deleted Items folder. The Outbox is where emails go right after you click the Send button, for a few seconds or minutes before they leave your computer. In Microsoft programs, you can create new folders by clicking on the File menu, and selecting New, and then clicking on Folder. Depending on the program you have, the procedure may vary, but in general, you’ll see a dialog box that asks you to name the new folder, and select a location under which it will be stored. Once your folders are created, file emails in the correct folders by dragging the email over top of the folder, then releasing the mouse button (dropping). In many email programs, you can also right-click on an email, and select Move to Folder from the popup menu. Whether your email is business or personal, create a folder for each logical category. You can also create subfolders. For example, you may create a folder called Clients, and then create a number of folders under it, labelled with each of your clients’ names. Or you might create a folder called Jokes, with subfolders Clean and Dirty. You can create as many folders as you want - the possibilities are endless! If you’re already familiar with creating folders and filing emails, here’s a helpful hint to de-clutter your Inbox. Once you’ve created your folders, file all the emails from your Inbox, leaving only those that need some action from you. This gives you a quick heads-up of current tasks, but doesn’t overwhelm you with clutter. Then, as you complete your follow-ups, file the emails right away. You can also file the emails from your Sent Items folders, so that it’s easy to keep track of all correspondence between you and your recipients. If you have thousands of emails, and you just can’t deal with them all, simply move them all into a Miscellaneous folder. Then, if you are forced to go through them to retrieve something, you can file it correctly when you find it. And if you never have to go through the emails, at least they’re gone from your Inbox, and you can make a fresh start! By: Diane Henders, Bright Ideas Personalized Learning Inc. For more information or computer training services, please call Bright Ideas Personalized Learning at (403) 692-2255. |
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