1. Create folders for your emails
Emails are digital files, just like a Word document or Excel spreadsheet. And just like folders on your hard drive, you can create folders in which to store your emails. I call my favorite folders Friends, Family, Humor, and Inspiration, and I also have a series of folders for my business emails. Using the Help menu in your email program, search for "how to create folders" and follow the instructions. Use folder names that feel intuitive to you.

2. Move emails

With most programs, you can drag and drop emails from your Inbox right into your new folders to quickly clear them out. What a great feeling! Need help? Ask your kids, or a tech-savvy friend or neighbor, and take control of that Inbox today!

To keep your Inbox clutter-free, you can move new emails into your folders after reading, replying, or forwarding. Open a new email and look for an icon on your toolbar that looks like a piece of paper, a folder, and an arrow (or equivalent on a Mac). Click on the icon and choose which folder to store that email in. It's that easy!

 

3. Schedule time for email

Don't give in to the temptation of checking your email throughout the day. This is a great way to avoid doing other, more important tasks. Turn off the email notification on your computer, check your email just twice a day at designated times, and act on them as you read them.