The presence of clutter — a scattering of things left about in an unorganized way — is linked to higher levels of cortisol in the body. That means higher levels of stress, as well as anxiety and depression.
Clutter is not just a concern in the home, but also in your digital devices. Even something as simple as keeping a clean email inbox can help eliminate clutter, contributing to a better sense of peace and restfulness.
If your inbox is cluttered with old emails and you’re feeling overwhelmed, check out the tips below for help.
Hit the Unsubscribe Button
Most people find their inbox cluttered with unwanted marketing junk from various websites. It takes less than one minute to hit the unsubscribe button in those emails to take your name off their list.
One of the best benefits of cleaning email messages like these is that you will never receive them again. It’s a proactive form of decluttering your inbox.
Use Filters and Labels
Many email services today offer useful tools like labels and filters to help organize emails. If you work in an industry where you can’t simply erase old emails, file them away so it doesn’t clutter your clean inbox.
For example, a teacher may have folders for parent emails, general school emails, and specific class emails. After the school year is finished, they can erase all the old emails from the past year that are no longer relevant.
Keep Emails Short and Sweet
Sometimes we try to compensate for awkwardness with long, drawn-out overtures of politeness. However, sending long emails almost always guarantees long emails in return.
Instead, keep your email short and your replies to emails even shorter. Try to use canned responses so you can copy and paste to save time.
Separate Email from Other Tasks
Some people use their email provider to accomplish other tasks — namely, to keep up with a to-do list or a scheduler. However, this only increases the amount of time you spend lost inside your inbox. Instead, consider downloading other applications to accomplish these other tasks.
Delete, Delete, Delete
At the end of the day, most people have trouble keeping a clean inbox because they are afraid to delete old emails.
If deletion is too big a task for you to surmount, consider archiving all emails as they come in instead. You will reach Inbox Zero, but you will still have access to all your old emails if you need them. As each email comes in, you will find yourself dealing with it, deleting it, or achieving it immediately.
Keeping a Clean Email Inbox
The key to keeping a clean email inbox is to find a method of organization that works for you. For some, that means deleting old emails. For others, it may mean making special folders or archiving them.
For more helpful articles like this one, make sure to check out our recent posts.
