You’ve got mail

It’s pretty obvious that email only works as an efficient communication device if you actually read the emails people send you.

That’s why it’s helpful to keep your inbox clear–so you see what’s new the moment it arrives. It’s a constant chore that’s worth the effort–because it allows you to respond promptly.

Doing what many people do–lazily ignoring the incoming–ironically makes things harder. Important updates are buried. Forgotten tasks create unnecessary stress. And ‘checking the mail’ becomes a dreaded task instead of a quick and painless one.

My advice? Flag everything you’re going to need to read today. Put important things that are pending within a month in a separate folder for later review. And archive everything else—you can always search for it later.

Keep it clean and tidy, and check it twice a day. (Or, don’t check your email at all.)

Beats getting lost in the clutter.