Quick Tip
Reset your email inbox to Inbox Zero for 2022 by archiving all emails from 2021 and prior.
Benefits
1 – You start the new year with an empty(ish) inbox and can start implementing Inbox Zero with a fresh slate.
2 – If you need an old email, it’s easily retrievable by searching your archive. No fear of having deleted something important
Examples
I try to start my new year with an empty inbox. I’ve archived all emails in my personal Gmail account (after deleting all the emails from the “Forums” and “Promotions” tabs.) At work, I’ve archived all emails from 2021 save for a few from December relating to files that are still open. Now checking email isn’t as stressful as it was at the end of last year.
How to implement it
Here are instructions on archiving your emails with Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.
You don’t have to wait for the new year or a milestone to archive your old emails. Anytime you feel overwhelmed by the number of messages in your inbox, consider archiving anything older than a week or a month or whatever your threshold is. The less clutter in your inbox will make you feel a little more in control, and you can try again to implement the Inbox Zero method. Maybe you’ll be able to stick with it. (Honestly, I’ve not managed to make Inbox Zero a permanent thing to date, but I haven’t given up yet!)
(This tip was inspired by David Fryman’s LinkedIn post on Inbox Zero.)
And if you’re interested, here’s a 60 minute (!) Google Tech Talk on achieving Inbox Zero.
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