76. Here's Exactly How I Organize My Inbox
Simple but effective, this is how I deal with emails for work and personal
Things I’m NOT so good at…
Running fast, looking both ways when I cross the street, and baking with a recipe (measurements who??).
Things I am pretty good at…
Running slowly, talking a lot, and organization.
My brain loves to take complexities (like founder’s ideas, or Google Drive folders) and create simple, clean, user-friendly organization.
It’s how I’m wired. Which has been very helpful as I set up systems and organization in my business, and my client’s businesses over the years.
One of the systems I’m most proud of in my business? The thing that has taken years to refine to get to this point?
How I organize and manage my email inbox.
Our inboxes are (unfortunately) places where we spend a fair amount of time.
Despite my penchant for organization, I felt trapped by my inbox only a few years ago.
I was constantly monitoring it, reacting to it, losing things in it, and trying to use far too many subfolders.
Over the last few years, I noticed the type of organization that actually works, and most of all, I changed how I USE my inbox to create LESS time in it.
And best of all, the organization I’m talking about is not hard to create.
The system I’ve come up with is very simple, it’s based largely on habits, and I’m going to show you exactly how I set it up to make your email inbox feel like what it’s supposed to be, a TOOL.
My inbox mindset shift
Here are the two things I’ve done to change how I use my inbox:
I set up a simple folder system
I stopped acting like my inbox IS my business
I’ll get to point one, but point two is the mindset shift. I used to operate like my inbox was the centre of my business and work. But it’s not.
My inbox is just one of the many tools I use to SERVE my clients (the actual centre of my business) and I had to make some changes to how I used it to see that shift.
I started by only checking my inbox twice a day.
Once in the morning, when I returned emails that I needed to (urgent or timely messages) and took note of anything that would effect my tasks for the day.
Then once in the afternoon to get back to anything else timely, and deliver proposals, client assets to review, etc.
It was a BIG, scary change and I had to really catch myself. Close tabs. Focus on the real work that needed to be done.
I’m not as strict on this twice a day email check-in any more, but it was a very necessary step a few years ago to shift my mindset around my inbox.
The other habit I changed was I became OBSESSED with the delete button.
(The dealt-with folder really helped with this, which I’ll explain in a minute).
I deleted everything I could. This CLEARED out my inbox. My main inbox became a very timely ‘to do list’ because it was empty of all the trash that used to exist there.
I still love the delete button. I use it constantly and I’ll never look back.
Changing these two habits (plus using folders as I’ll share below) were game changers in how I felt about my inbox. Highly recommend giving these routines a try!
The folders I use to organize my inbox:
Okay, now let’s get to the organization of it all. These are the folders I use (after lots of trial and error) to keep my inbox useful, clean, and organized.
Accounting
Business
Clients (with subfolders)
Dealt With
Discovery
Events
Good Stuff
Personal
That’s it. Eight folders that keep my inbox clean, tidy, and easy to use.
I tried the subfolders for everything. I tried the ‘status’ folders. I tried looking at YouTube videos at how other people organized their emails.
But after all of that, these are the eight that rose to the top.
Yours might look a little different (maybe you need a ‘CEO’ folder for all your leadership communication, or a ‘Meetings’ folder, for example) but overall, these eight cover a wide variety of topics and make it super simple to search for what you need.
Here are some insights into how I use a few of the folders:
1. Accounting
This is where I put ALL my receipts, invoicing communication, and anything to do with my business finances. Keeps it really simple to search for money-related emails.
2. Business
This is my ‘manager’ folder because I use this for anything to do with my business itself. Any leadership-related emails, website registration info, and any other ‘official’ business communication goes in here.
3. Clients (With Subfolders)
I create a folder for each client I work with and ALL their communication goes in there. This keeps emails streamlines and makes searching for something specific so simple.
When I finish working with a client, all their emails get added to my ‘dealt with’ folder to keep this folder selection current.
4. Dealt With
THIS is the folder that changed the game. Instead of deleting emails (because there are lots of things I may want to have access to later) or just leaving them in my inbox (clogging up brain space and creating overwhelm) I created a dealt with folder.
The dealt with folder is for ANYTHING that is, well, dealt with. Might need it later but don’t need it right now? Into the dealt with folder you go. I LOVE how clean this makes my main inbox while still keeping access to emails I may need down the road.
Want a break down on ALL the folders, plus some other email tips? Read my full inbox organization blog post on my website.
🤠 What’s Cool…
The new Aestheva Medical Aesthetics website went live last month and it looks BEAUTIFUL! Read my case study on the project to see how we created a timeless, elegant new site design, refreshed their branding, AND wrote messaging and copy.
The old Aestheva website & branding didn’t feel right to Dr. Ross. As she continued to grow her medical aesthetics and skin care clinic based on honesty and science, she wanted a more modern, timeless, updated site and branding.
As we discussed what her brand needed to step into their next phase of business, here were our goals:
Designing a more timeless, modern website
Adding pages to showcase all their services
Maintaining the work done by their SEO team
Refreshing branding for a more minimal, modern look
Dr. Ross and her team had such a clear idea of what wasn’t working, and the direction they wanted to go, which made for such a cool project to bring their updated web & branding to life. So excited to have this website out in the world!
📚 Currently Reading…
There are some books that you just have to go into blind. I barely read the summary of Pines by Blake Crouch. Just saw a bookstagram account (love @bradylockerby recs) recommend it over and over so I snagged it on my library app.
Pines is a thriller/horror book that is WILD from start to finish.
I read it in two days because I just couldn’t stop. Beyond all the craziness of the story, it opens up some really interesting thoughts about survival, morality, and family.
I advise you to not read too much about it before reading! But if you like fast-paced, dark thrillers, then definitely put this one on your list.
This is the first book in a trilogy so I’m definitely grabbing the next two whenever I can.
🍊 Working On…
Here’s what’s going on at Belle White Creative HQ this week…
Website Design & Revisions: I have two web projects on the go right now and both are at design phases, meaning this is a BIG week in front of my computer! Playlists and fun beverages are ready to rock & roll.
Discovery Follow Up: I sent out some proposals in the past week (yay!) so next up for those potential projects is to follow up, answer any questions, and hopefully move into onboarding if we’re a good fit.
Coworking & Catching Up With Fellow Creatives: I have another coworking day booked on Friday, and a couple coffee dates with fellow creative business owners this week. Really excited to be focusing on nurturing entrepreneur-ish conversations this Spring.
Secret Project In The Works: I’ve been working behind the scenes on a secret project that I’m stoked to share very soon. Hint: It’s for service-based business owners and it features one of the photos from my recent brand photoshoot!
Thank you so much for being here and chat next Wednesday,
xo — Belle