By Mary Beth Kuenzel (FL)

“Nothing is certain but death and taxes,” wrote Benjamin Franklin. If he were writing today, I’m certain he would add email as another constant. For many of us, email can feel less like a tool and more like a fire hose. The good news is that with a few intentional habits, we can take back control. Below are strategies that are working for me. (I use Microsoft Outlook, but most platforms offer similar features.)

SPRING CLEANING YOUR INBOX

Before managing email, it helps to reduce how much you receive. Here are a few simple filters I’m using this year:

Am I still interested?
We all sign up for things that seemed useful at the time—articles, discounts, listservs. If they’re no longer adding value, it’s okay to let them go.

Have I deleted the last three emails without reading them?
That’s usually a sign. Even worthwhile content can become noise if it’s too frequent or poorly timed. Consider switching to a digest—or unsubscribing entirely. If FOMO is holding you back, see the tip below for rules to redirect or archive.

Can I get this information another way?
If the content is helpful but not urgent, try setting a calendar reminder to check the source on your own schedule. It’s often more productive than emails arriving when you don’t have time.

Can I redirect this instead of deleting it?
Rules and filters are powerful. You can automatically route newsletters, listservs, or even persistent senders to a folder. The information is still there—but on your terms, not in your inbox. If you don’t want to unsubscribe because you have a fear of missing out, set up a rule to send them to a folder where they will be organized, and catch up when you have the time to be interested.

THE ZERO INBOX MINDSET

The “Zero Inbox” concept, developed by productivity expert Merlin Mann, isn’t about having an empty inbox. It’s about reducing the mental load that email creates.

The goal is simple: every time you open an email, take one clear action.

• Delete or Archive – If you don’t need it, remove it. 
• Delegate – Send it to the right person. 
• Respond or Do – If it takes less than two minutes, handle it immediately. 
• Defer – If it requires more time, move it to a task list or follow-up system. 

This approach minimizes decision fatigue and keeps emails from lingering as unfinished business.

Quick tip: Using Shift + Delete permanently removes messages and keeps your Deleted Items folder from becoming a junkyard filled with reply-all emails about lunch and birthdays.

MAKING THE APP WORK FOR YOU

Outlook offers built-in tools that make follow-up and organization easier. Most platforms have similar functionality.

Turn emails into action items with FLAGS.

Your inbox is not a to-do list. If something requires action, a flag can mark an email as a way of saying: “This isn’t just information—this is something I need to do.”

Click the flag icon next to an email to mark it, and then right-click the flag to assign a timeframe from preset options like today or next week or by choosing a custom date.

The email then appears in your To-Do Bar, Tasks, and sometimes your calendar. It becomes part of your work tracking system, not just your inbox

Best practice: Only flag emails that truly require action. If everything is flagged, nothing stands out.

Don’t rely on memory, use REMINDERS.

A flag can include a reminder alert, which pops up at a specific time. This is especially useful when you can’t act on something right away, you need to follow up with someone later, or you’re waiting on a response.

Example: Flag an email “Follow up Friday at 10 a.m.” and Outlook reminds you automatically.

Key benefit: You don’t have to remember because Outlook does that for you.

Use flags for tracking emails you send.

This is a great option if you want to track a request or follow up if someone doesn’t respond. Before sending an email, select Follow Up and choose a reminder date/time. You can also flag it for the recipient, but you might want to do this sparingly.

Example: Send an email asking for information, set a reminder for 3 days later.  If there’s no response, follow up when you get the reminder.

Close the loop by marking as complete.

Once you’ve handled a flagged email, right-click on the flag and select Mark Complete. This changes the flag to a check mark, so you keep a record that the task was completed but remove it from your active task list.

FINAL THOUGHT

Email isn’t going away, but, focused action and small consistent improvements are helping me tame the inbox. I hope there’s a tip here that will help you too.