Comments on: How to Clean Out your Email In-Box http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/ Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:51:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: troy http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-262923 troy Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:15:43 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-262923 I've been GTDing in spirts for 2 years. I had a snafu with my MAC where I couldn't archive emails. And so I'd leave some, then I started adding categories without having meta categories and in a matter of months I went from a clean box to 4294965i42 emails and 2967 unread. I'm tempted to dump them all and restart but that would be too dangerous. So I'm reseting my categories at the various perspctives 10,000, 40,00 feet, etc. And then your simple "take an hour a day to nail this by July 18" appears the most doable. thanks! I’ve been GTDing in spirts for 2 years. I had a snafu with my MAC where I couldn’t archive emails. And so I’d leave some, then I started adding categories without having meta categories and in a matter of months I went from a clean box to 4294965i42 emails and 2967 unread. I’m tempted to dump them all and restart but that would be too dangerous. So I’m reseting my categories at the various perspctives 10,000, 40,00 feet, etc. And then your simple “take an hour a day to nail this by July 18″ appears the most doable. thanks!

]]> By: Hagit http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-37866 Hagit Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:39:22 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-37866 I have to admit this - I have 8628 items in my inbox this minute. And i DO delete emails, just not the important ones. Oh, I have to find me a system. I'm still not ready to delet so much information. :) I have to admit this – I have 8628 items in my inbox this minute. And i DO delete emails, just not the important ones. Oh, I have to find me a system. I’m still not ready to delet so much information. :)

]]> By: WaltDe http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-1835 WaltDe Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:12:24 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-1835 Very good reading. Peace until next time. WaltDe Very good reading. Peace until next time.
WaltDe

]]> By: Tammy http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-449 Tammy Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:09:44 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-449 Christine - the problem with me and emails is that Tony gave out my addy to all of his friends that "have the cure all" ~ seriously, I think the email is truly viral - it multiplies like crazy. I am learning to be ruthless. Delete or action is my only choice as I'm a right brainer - which translates into 724 possible categories for one email (if I were inclined to create a series of folders - the number would be to much!) I've read about the organizing then the procrastinating then how to organize my procrastination and in the end, I just shut everything off except the music and just do it. Thanks again for another jewel on your blog! Christine – the problem with me and emails is that Tony gave out my addy to all of his friends that “have the cure all” ~ seriously, I think the email is truly viral – it multiplies like crazy. I am learning to be ruthless. Delete or action is my only choice as I’m a right brainer – which translates into 724 possible categories for one email (if I were inclined to create a series of folders – the number would be to much!)

I’ve read about the organizing then the procrastinating then how to organize my procrastination and in the end, I just shut everything off except the music and just do it.

Thanks again for another jewel on your blog!

]]> By: christine http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-209 christine Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:13:58 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-209 Anne, You are too funny. I smiled the whole time I read your note! I hope Kelsey checks back in to read what you wrote. It's good. And it's great to get that kind of encouragement. Thanks! Anne, You are too funny. I smiled the whole time I read your note! I hope Kelsey checks back in to read what you wrote. It’s good. And it’s great to get that kind of encouragement. Thanks!

]]> By: anne http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-208 anne Mon, 19 Jun 2006 18:05:43 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-208 Ok - so I am also Beth - well, not really, I'm Anne - but when I read the 'how to clean out your e-mail in-box', I had 2800 e-mails in there. I now have 3. I am officially unburdened of all those yammering voices in my in-box. It's kind of like 2800 people on the phone all at the same time, only you've pressed mute. They're still there, and you can only block them out for so long. Of course, many of those e-mails I deleted (and I deleted most of the 2800) were reminders for meetings that happened in 2004....sigh...it's a very good thing you decided to write a blog Christine. And Kelsey - I just finished grad. school after several years trying to complete my PhD and do a more-than-full-time job and start a new relationship, buy a house etc. You can do it! Little chunks each day. I wrote for 30 mins each morning while trying to finish up (and most of each Saturday). Sometimes it went in the trash, and sometimes it was perfect. And mostly it was in between. But it got done. In order to get to the office on a Saturday, I promised myself some really good coffee and a muffin from the West End bakery for breakfast. Got me out the door and on my way. But if you need a day/week off from it - do that too. Makes you more productive in the end. Tut....since I have been blabbing, I now have 2 more e-mails in my in-box!! 5 e-mails....too many, too many.... Anne Ok – so I am also Beth – well, not really, I’m Anne – but when I read the ‘how to clean out your e-mail in-box’, I had 2800 e-mails in there. I now have 3. I am officially unburdened of all those yammering voices in my in-box. It’s kind of like 2800 people on the phone all at the same time, only you’ve pressed mute. They’re still there, and you can only block them out for so long. Of course, many of those e-mails I deleted (and I deleted most of the 2800) were reminders for meetings that happened in 2004….sigh…it’s a very good thing you decided to write a blog Christine.
And Kelsey – I just finished grad. school after several years trying to complete my PhD and do a more-than-full-time job and start a new relationship, buy a house etc. You can do it! Little chunks each day. I wrote for 30 mins each morning while trying to finish up (and most of each Saturday). Sometimes it went in the trash, and sometimes it was perfect. And mostly it was in between. But it got done. In order to get to the office on a Saturday, I promised myself some really good coffee and a muffin from the West End bakery for breakfast. Got me out the door and on my way. But if you need a day/week off from it – do that too. Makes you more productive in the end.
Tut….since I have been blabbing, I now have 2 more e-mails in my in-box!! 5 e-mails….too many, too many….

Anne

]]> By: Pamela Platt http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-202 Pamela Platt Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:07:04 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-202 I resent that........baby! Mucho Amore, Tony M. I resent that……..baby!
Mucho Amore,
Tony M.

]]> By: David (meer kitty2) http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-201 David (meer kitty2) Fri, 16 Jun 2006 19:02:56 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-201 So ... You mentioned David Allen's "Getting Things Done" or GTD as it is called in shorthand by devotees. Emptying the inbox is the second step in the 5 step process of organizing that gets done regularly. Taking things out of their inboxes (email and real) and deciding what you actually need to do with it is an important processing step. GTD does not ask you to complete each item as you process it, just decide what it is and whether it is actionable. If it's not actionable, file it or toss it. If you decide it is actionable, then what project have you committed to and what's the next action. A project is any task with more than one step. "What is the NEXT ACTION?" is the key question. The hard part for me is whether or not to accept the work implied by transfering the task from the email to my next action or projects list. Fight the urge that arrises to do everything that lands in your inbox. There are items that go into the "someday/maybe" folder for a good reason. Be brave about deleting things that aren't useful or so far out of the focus of your life that they aren't going to happen. Trust the universe that if one of those "maybe" items or deleted items really is important, it will come back again in email or some other form. GTD is an easy book to read, and hard to do. For me, it has been worth the effort. meer So … You mentioned David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” or GTD as it is called in shorthand by devotees. Emptying the inbox is the second step in the 5 step process of organizing that gets done regularly. Taking things out of their inboxes (email and real) and deciding what you actually need to do with it is an important processing step.

GTD does not ask you to complete each item as you process it, just decide what it is and whether it is actionable. If it’s not actionable, file it or toss it. If you decide it is actionable, then what project have you committed to and what’s the next action. A project is any task with more than one step. “What is the NEXT ACTION?” is the key question. The hard part for me is whether or not to accept the work implied by transfering the task from the email to my next action or projects list.

Fight the urge that arrises to do everything that lands in your inbox. There are items that go into the “someday/maybe” folder for a good reason. Be brave about deleting things that aren’t useful or so far out of the focus of your life that they aren’t going to happen. Trust the universe that if one of those “maybe” items or deleted items really is important, it will come back again in email or some other form.

GTD is an easy book to read, and hard to do. For me, it has been worth the effort.

meer

]]> By: christine http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-200 christine Fri, 16 Jun 2006 12:43:39 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-200 You're funny! Isn't weird how we get these things done when we're avoiding other things? When I'm getting ready to pack for a trip, I'll tend to get every last bit of organizing done. Or when I tell myself to sit down and write a song, I'll think, "oo. maybe i should go through my emails." Maybe we could write a self-help book about getting things done when you're procrastinating on getting other things done. It could be a whole new time-management system! You’re funny! Isn’t weird how we get these things done when we’re avoiding other things? When I’m getting ready to pack for a trip, I’ll tend to get every last bit of organizing done. Or when I tell myself to sit down and write a song, I’ll think, “oo. maybe i should go through my emails.” Maybe we could write a self-help book about getting things done when you’re procrastinating on getting other things done. It could be a whole new time-management system!

]]> By: Kathy http://christinekane.com/blog/how-to-clean-out-your-email-in-box/comment-page-1/#comment-199 Kathy Fri, 16 Jun 2006 12:15:41 +0000 http://christinekane.com/?p=43#comment-199 I agree that getting those emails read AND FILED is energy releasing! I have a blackberry (that David calls my crackberry) now and when there is a light blinking to say I have an unread email it's only a matter of time (short time!) that I must check it. However, this means I am now taking even longer to file them. Now that I have at least read them they sit there in my inbox looking at me....and looking at me....and looking at me. But every now and then I am on a train or plane or sitting around trying not to do something else and move them all over into those folders I've created. It's one of those things that makes you feel really good once it's done! A true accomplishment. Select All and Delete is also catharctic but I'm not brave enough to do that.....what if I have missed a nugget of wisdom that could help me in some way? see, there I go again. Blockage of the energy. Hmmmmmm I agree that getting those emails read AND FILED is energy releasing! I have a blackberry (that David calls my crackberry) now and when there is a light blinking to say I have an unread email it’s only a matter of time (short time!) that I must check it. However, this means I am now taking even longer to file them. Now that I have at least read them they sit there in my inbox looking at me….and looking at me….and looking at me. But every now and then I am on a train or plane or sitting around trying not to do something else and move them all over into those folders I’ve created. It’s one of those things that makes you feel really good once it’s done! A true accomplishment. Select All and Delete is also catharctic but I’m not brave enough to do that…..what if I have missed a nugget of wisdom that could help me in some way? see, there I go again. Blockage of the energy. Hmmmmmm

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