{"id":4735,"date":"2013-08-05T03:05:17","date_gmt":"2013-08-05T08:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smallbizsurvival.com\/?p=4735"},"modified":"2014-08-27T07:44:46","modified_gmt":"2014-08-27T12:44:46","slug":"using-gmails-tabbed-inbox-wisely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smallbizsurvival.com\/2013\/08\/using-gmails-tabbed-inbox-wisely.html","title":{"rendered":"Using Gmail’s Tabbed Inbox wisely"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Unsorted<\/a>

Unsorted email, like unsorted paper mail, is a chore to sort through. Gmail’s tabbed inbox can help.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

The Best Way to Deal with Email<\/strong><\/p>\n

What’s the best way to deal with email? Have it sorted automatically, before you ever see it, into groups based on the frame of mind needed to act on it. Frame of mind might be “reading” for newsletters that are informative, or “read and reply immediately” for work items.<\/p>\n

The Reality<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your email reality is a big unsorted mess. It’s like a big pile of paper mail. It\u2019s all mixed up. You can\u2019t tell what\u2019s in there. You have to process it one item at a time, in no particular order. Your brain has to jump from “skim for ideas” to “ignore” to “who is this person?”<\/p>\n

Imagine a Better Way<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, imagine your assistant comes in and sorts the pile. There are magazines in one box, newsletters in another, bills all together, notes from friends where you can find them, sale flyers and catalogs from favorite stores saved, junk mail trashed, letters from clients grouped, and the packet from the boss right on top. Then, your assistant only brings you the items you need right away. You can deal with the work items, savor the personal notes, let the bills wait until bill-paying day, and easily skim through newsletters on your lunch hour. Each group of mail requires the same frame of mind, so your brain doesn’t waste a lot of time switching gears.<\/p>\n

Gmail Tries to Help<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now Gmail is taking its best shot at doing this sorting for you, with tabs called Primary, Social, Promotions, Updates, and Forums. It’s up to you to decide if you want an email in a particular tab. For example, all your email newsletters will start out in Promotions whether they’re promotional or informational. If you find an email is not where you want it, drag it to the proper tab. Gmail will give you a pop up message asking if you want all email from this sender in this tab. Click Yes. All future emails from that sender will go to the tab you picked. Want to change your mind later? When the next email from that sender comes in, drag it to the tab you prefer.<\/p>\n

What I Put in Each Tab<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are not the tab names I’d have chosen, so I had to adapt my thinking a bit. Most of the important items are showing up in my Primary tab, which is good.<\/p>\n