Work Efficiencies - Part 1 - Uber email management

Last month marked my third year working for MS, and I was doing some reflection on how my work style has changed over the last three years.  Now I'm working at Corp with an email influx in the 100s per day.  Now granted a portion of this is from distribution lists, but one of the tricks I've learnt over time is how to configure your email so you respond to the right emails within the right amount of time.  Hopefully you'll be able to take a few of these rules, combine them with your own rules. 

1. Create a folder to dump everything that isn't addressed directly to you or cc' d to you.  DLs are great for keeping up with information, but they're terrible for distractions.  In my case with managed folders I send everything to the Will Expire in 90 days folder that isn't to or cc' d to me.  This means that your inbox will only receive items that you need to read or action.  I always work on clearing my inbox before I move to check other email.
2. Once you action or read an email  with no action move it to an 'actioned' folder.  In my case with managed folders I move actioned items to the Business General folder which is set to expire in 1 year.  This way I  keep a record of any direct communications for 1 year except items that legal may require later.  Contracts or payment details are a good example of this. They go in the Business Projects file with a 3 year retention policy
3. I use search folders to save complexity in rule creation, this way whenever I rebuild my machine my search folders follow me.  Search folders have the advantage is that they can dynamically search mail as apposed to rules which move only once.  Also I can search on multiple terms to create a folder, this means I'm not bound to a logical folder to abstract and search my mail.
4. Mark 'as read' emails that are not directly to you as you process or scan them.  Having 1000's of emails unread in your mailbox means that you're getting the wrong sort of information, or you are missing things.  I use DLs to stay up to date, as I scan these email I then mark them as read.  This way I can keep track of changes through out the day.  If I need to go back I use Outlook search to find the items.

So over time, I've perfected this methodology, it's great for a few reasons. 

• It's really simple
• It stops me getting distracted through out the day
• I know exactly how many items I need to action on email
• I am able to readily classify emails per a retention policy
• It scales to 100s of emails - 347 today inbound to be exact :)  113 direct to me..

Of course there's still something to be said for the efficiency in picking up the phone and calling someone :)