Many of us take the email apps we use for granted and, as a result, are only making the most of their basic functions and tools. Such as the ability to, you know, send and receive emails.
However, a closer look at most email apps - and especially the newer ones on the market - reveals that they can be powerful tools to increase productivity, boost work-related collaboration and, in general, make your life run more smoothly.
Here are the tips you need to know to unlock the full potential of your email app.
Make the Most of the Task Tools
The best email apps feature task or to-do list tools that are simple to use and an effective way of helping you get more done in a day!
Most can be used to create and keep track of the tasks you want to complete that day or week, for example, and include the facility to set reminders so that you never miss a deadline or an appointment. And there's something deeply satisfying about ticking the task off in-app when it's done!
If you use your email app professionally, then see if its task tool can be used collaboratively, meaning you'll receive notifications every time a team member completes a task, as well as updates on progress and alerts. If it doesn't, and this sounds like something that could be useful, it may be time to switch!
Apply Email Filters
If your inbox is prone to getting cluttered, making it difficult to tell the spam from the trees, then using a filter could change your life. Or, at least, make your inbox more manageable.
Most email apps will allow you to apply a filter to separate incoming mail automatically. So, for example, you could set a rule that stipulates mail from a specific sender or that contains a specific subject or keyword gets redirected to a set folder.
This is a handy hack to ensure that you're alerted to and aware of the presence of priority emails that need dealing with urgently, and it helps save time by automatically filing your messages.
Use the Scheduling Tools
Again, the vast majority of email apps feature some form of scheduling tool. Once you've written an email, you can use the tool to set the date and time you want the message sent. This tip is particularly useful if you work as part of a remote team with colleagues in different time zones.
Depending on your role, you may also be interested in using scheduling as part of your business's email marketing drives.
Discover the Potential of the Calendar
We all know a calendar comes as a standard part of most email packages, yet most of us are only scratching the surface of its capabilities. To start making the most of this tool, begin by changing the standard duration of scheduled events; it's usually set to an hour as the default. Why not change this to half an hour to maximize the number of tasks you can realistically add to your schedule?
While some appointments and meetings may last an hour or more, many work or home-related jobs that need completing can be done in much less time. This can help remove unused time blocks from your workday so that you can create a schedule in which no periods of time are left unaccounted for - and this should include your breaks and downtime, too.
Get to grips with block scheduling for easy diary management, setting alerts, and synching your calendar with your to-do or task list for the ultimate way to navigate your days and boost productivity.
Don't Forget the Importance of Good Housekeeping
And finally - putting in place some basic housekeeping practices can make a massive difference to how effectively your email app works for you.
Start by committing to having a quick inbox clean-up at the start or end of each day. This is a task that, if done daily, is the work of minutes, but if left, can, after a few months, become a monster undertaking that seems insurmountable.
Create multiple folders to house your emails, and make the most of the archiving tool to get rid of elderly emails that you still need to keep. Set a reminder to go through your archive every six months, for example, to delete any messages that no longer need to hang around.
Every now and again, also have a deep clean of your inbox: set aside an hour in your schedule and take a look at the messages, your folders, and your overall mode of email organization to check that it's still serving your needs as well as it can be. If not? Get a new system up and running that works better.
Use the tips above to manage your inbox and schedule more effectively. You may be surprised at just how much time you can save by simply making the most of the many tools and features that are included in your email app - meaning you can use the calendar to block in an extra half an hour a day to enjoy doing something you love!
