Managing Email Storage

Overview

Managing a busy mailbox can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies, you can keep your inbox organized and efficient. Here are some practical tips to help you streamline your email management process. From automating routine tasks to prioritizing important messages, these steps will help you stay on top of your emails and reduce the time you spend sorting through your inbox.

How to Organize Your Emails

Declutter regularly

Set aside time periodically to review and delete messages you no longer need. Depending on your workflow, this could be done daily, weekly, or monthly.

Review and empty folders 

Just like your inbox, Deleted Items, Sent Items, Junk Mail, and Drafts folders require maintenance. For instance, once a meeting is accepted or declined, the response is automatically sorted into your Sent Items folder. Set a calendar reminder for every Friday to clean out your Junk Email folder at the end of your workday. This will keep the folder from filling up with unnecessary spam.

Learn how to empty your Deleted Items folder

Keep personal emails out of your University email account

Whenever possible, use a personal email address for personal communications. Personal communications include Spam and unsolicited messages such as Ads, news articles, and non-work-related messages.

Review and delete non-record messages

The following examples only apply to recipients of these types of communications. Those responsible for sending the notifications should not delete the original communications email, as these may be considered official records and must adhere to the disposition of the University’s Retention Management Policy and Records Retention Schedule.

• Your Junk Mail folder
• Microsoft Outlook Reactions
• Temporary or informal messages like automated reminders and celebratory announcements
• System-generated auto-response notifications from the IT Help Desk, Banner, and Outlook meeting responses
• Listserv messages via newsletters, bulletins, info-sharing communities, and discussion boards.
• Some University-wide or department-wide administrative email notifications, such as The Pulse, Campus safety notices, construction/route change notices, Department Lead/Dean announcements, and departmental updates.

How to Set Up Automated Rules in Outlook

Delete emails

Create a rule to sort external informational emails into a separate folder for easier review and disposal. Review this folder weekly and delete anything you don’t need. Examples include:

• Reminders for non-NEOMED webinars and conferences
• Voting from external non-NEOMED  professional associations
• Newsletters from external professional associations
• Third-party vendor software updates
• Listserv/discussion board notifications

Route emails

Use rules to manage email messages more effectively. For instance, set a rule to route emails from specific senders to a designated folder. Set a calendar reminder to review this folder weekly and delete what is unnecessary.

Learn how to set up rules in Outlook

How to Manage Email Threads

Retain only the last email in the thread if:

• The thread is transient (e.g., discussing meeting availability)
• The thread is not needed as evidence or proof

Retain the entire thread if:

• Not all participants use the reply-all feature
• Multiple participants are responding at the same time, creating separate responses
• The thread contains attachments, as these don’t stay with the thread when replying
• If all the emails in a thread need to be retained, instead of only the last email, you can create a PDF of all the emails and attachments together into a single file once the thread is complete. Once the email thread is converted to a PDF and stored with related files on the server, it can be deleted from Outlook.
• The emails are needed as evidence or proof

How to Save Time

Declutter folders in small chunks

Set aside regular time to declutter your email in manageable intervals. Suggestions include:

• Every Friday from 4–5 p.m.
• During lunch every day
• On the 30th of each month

Search by name or keyword to identify non-record emails

For example, use search terms to find and delete casual emails between colleagues. Do the same for other keywords you use frequently in non-record emails.

Delete copies from automated University systems

Auto-generated emails that notify you of an action or update in a University system can often be deleted, as they are always available when you log into the system. You should get in the habit of deleting auto-notices as you receive them.

Other Tips

1. Use Sweep Rules to automatically clean up reoccurring messages
   • Set up rules to automatically delete older daily reports, keeping only the most recent one or the last 10. This helps prevent your inbox from being cluttered with outdated information. Learn more about Sweep rules.
2. Label and Categorize Emails:
   • Use labels or categories to organize emails by topic or sender. For example, create labels for common mailing lists, internal team emails, and specific individuals like your supervisor or colleague. This makes it easier to find and manage related emails. Learn more about categorizing emails.
3. Pin or Snooze Important Messages:
   • Pin important emails to keep them at the top of your inbox for quick access. Alternatively, snooze emails to temporarily remove them from your inbox and have them reappear at a more convenient time. Learn more about pinning and snoozing emails.
4. Turn Emails into Tasks:
   • Convert important emails into tasks using your email client’s task management features or flag them so they appear in your To-Do list. This ensures you don’t forget to follow up on critical emails. Learn more about managing tasks with To Do.
5. Don’t Over-Organize into Folders:
   • Avoid creating too many folders, which can make it harder to find emails. Instead, rely on search functions and labels to quickly locate emails. Learn more about organizing documents and sites.
6. Use Delayed Send for Better Timing:
   • Schedule your emails to be sent at a later time using the delayed send feature. This can be particularly useful for sending emails at an optimal time, but it also allows you to compose and send emails when you think of them without disrupting your colleagues or employees. Learn more about delaying or scheduling email messages in Outlook
7. Follow the 2-Minute Rule:
   • If a task can be completed in 2 minutes or less, do it immediately. This prevents small tasks from piling up and keeps your inbox more manageable. Learn more about the 2-minute rule.
8. Use Plus Addressing for Vendors :
   • Use plus addressing (e.g., yourname+vendor@example.com) when signing up with vendors or companies. This allows you to easily filter and manage emails from these sources, keeping your main inbox more organized. Learn more about plus addressing.