When should I begin organizing my email inbox?

Hi, !

We are so glad you asked about how to move forward with your emails!  This can be a tricky area, and we know you can conquer it with small steps!

We do recommend having your command central built before tackling your email inbox.  From our years of experience, we find a much higher success rate when this project comes after you have set a strong foundation

I think it is always easiest to start with a fresh slate, and then to work forward (& backward) from that clean slate.

First:

Asking again, have you built your command central? This will ensure you don't get bogged down in the day-to-day tasks of life while you start working on your emails. This would be Step #1!

Second:

Set up a filter to assign all incoming/active conversations the label @To Sort, then mass-move them out of your inbox and into the @To Sort folder?

This process can go pretty quickly if you have a strong internet connection and voíla... You have a clear inbox!

Third:

Add a routine of "check email" 1 or 2 times a day.  Maybe as a start-up and shut-down routine? Then, as you check emails, you can add the different steps for shutting off subscriptions, adding labels as needed, etc., in small, bite-sized chunks.

For instance, each day when you check your email, you can unsubscribe from 1 company/newsletter/etc. (Or make 1 label to filter conversations.) Over time, you will see the inbox slowly shrink each day as you get rid of unwanted emails.

As a later project, you can go back to the "To Sort" folder and delete/process/purge!

Let me know how this "feels" to you! Small steps are still progress, so please remember that as you proceed!!!

This routine can become life-changing as you suddenly have the weight of months and years of unattended emails cleared from your inbox. With a slow and steady pace, you will WIN over your emails!

Cheering you on!!!