Strategies for your Gmail inbox

I transitioned from Outlook to Gmail in 2018. I was tired of my phone (iCal) and my computer (Outlook) not playing well together. The primary sticking point was the calendar integration never worked well. Gmail was my email host, so it made sense to transition both email and calendaring exclusively to Gmail. Although I’ve talked about how to get started organizing your inbox, I thought I'd share a few tricks that help me stay keep my inbox tidy.

Using the preview pane on your desktop.

Using a Preview Pane in your inbox lets you view messages quickly without fully opening the email. I love being able to skim messages to determine if they’re a quick action or something more involved. That flexibility helps me to clear out the clutter quickly so I can focus left.

HOW TO: You can add the preview pane by selecting Settings Gear. The Quick Settings panel will open on the left. Scroll down to the Preview Pane and select the Preview Pane position.

Use labels for filing emails for reference.

Labels are a great way to organize messages. Labels can help you move messages out of your inbox and into a reference folder. A perfect way to lighten your inbox load. There is no need to keep a message in your inbox that doesn’t require an action. I believe things that don't require action but you'd like to reference again should NOT live in your inbox.

HOW TO: Gmail offers a set of system labels to help you organize your messages. You can access Labels in the left toolbar or go to Settings Gear, select See All Settings, and select the Labels tab. Here, you can evaluate what System labels you want to appear (or hide) in your left toolbar.

Remember that a desktop is different from a mobile device.

This is an important distinction to remember. If you only use email on your mobile device, your experience will be limited and sometimes harder to navigate. I recommend reviewing all your settings on a desktop screen. It's infinitely easier to navigate setting adjustments on a desktop screen. Although I do a lot on my mobile device, sometimes, I only hold specific tasks within my inbox when I’m on my desktop.

Schedule send emails saves me time!

I just learned about this several months ago. Scheduling messages saves me time when I have to send an email on specific days or when I’m out of the office. It’s really simple to use and offers flexibility. I typically plan to draft (and schedule) several emails at one time rather than one by one throughout the month. It’s a perfect helper for those things you have to send regularly.

HOW TO: To access the scheduling feature, Compose a new message. The bottom blue Send button contains an arrow; click on the arrow and select Schedule Send.

Templates are my new best friend.

Although it is still a little new, I love this tool. I have one client to whom I send ten emails monthly for the same purpose. I'm always going back to look at what last month's message says to stay consistent—NOT ANYMORE! I have started using templates.

HOW TO: It's a little tricky to set up, but you'll love it once you get there! To access the template feature, you need first to activate this feature. You can go to Settings Gear, select See All Settings, and select the Advanced tab. You’ll want to Enable templates and then Save.

HOW TO: Once you’ve done that, you can create a template by going to Compose a new message. At the bottom of the message box, you'll see the three-dot ellipsis of More Options. Select Templates. You'll want to select Save Draft as Template, then Save New. One weird little nuance: if you use a signature block, you'll want to delete that from your template to avoid duplication when you select Compose.

HOW TO: When you're ready to use a template, select Compose, More Options (the three dots in the toolbar), and Templates, then choose the template you'd like. Voila.

Integration with other apps is endless.

Calendar and email cohesion make my life easier, and when I can easily and efficiently move tasks from the inbox into a task management system, I’m firing on all cylinders.

I use two task management systems that integrate with my email (Asana and TickTick). Asana has email forwarding, and TickTick has a plug-in for email integration to my list. It's a great way to convert an entire email into a task (and get it OUT of your inbox). If you're using a task manager, there is likely a way to include that in your Gmail desktop experience.

Categories are a love/hate thing for me.

I do not sort my messages into categories simply because I like to deal with information as it comes in. Junk messages are something I can handle because I either read, delete, or unsubscribe. Some use Categories to filter information groups without the weight of newsletters, social media, or chat groups.

HOW TO: To access Categories, click on the Settings Gear, select See All Settings, and select the Labels tab. Scroll down about halfway to Categories. You can Show or Hide them in your label or message list.

I'm certain there are more features worth discussing, but this is a great place to start. Is there a feature you like that I haven't mentioned? Please share in the comments.