More Outlook Optimization with “Inbox Zero”
One of my goals to kick off 2009 (which I have yet to write about!) is to work on using Outlook more effectively and efficiently.
I previously wrote about optimizing your Outlook habits by only using the program at three specific times during your workday (say, 10am, noon, and 4pm or whatever you find works in your schedule).
Today, I’m happy to report that since the beginning of 2009, I have worked on eliminating all the pending emails in my Outlook Inbox so I can reach the ultimate goal of Inbox Zero. Here’s what my inbox looks like today:
Never heard of Inbox Zero?
Allow me to introduce Merlin Mann, productivity guru and creator of 43folders. He wrote a series of posts on 43folders looking at the skills, tools, and attitude needed to empty your email inbox. In addition, he presented an session on achieving the state of Inbox Zero for a Google Tech Talk. The one-hour video of his presentation in embedded below (click here if reading through an RSS reader).
One hour is a lot of time to devote to this concept, especially when it’s one hour that you might spend cleaning out the garbage in your inbox.
For a quicker tutorial, go read the Inbox Zero posts on 43folders and eliminate the time-waster of your day otherwise known as a crowded Outlook Inbox.
Related Posts
- Optimize Your Outlook Habits
- Expand Outlook Efficiency with Switch Options
- Create a New Message Shortcut for Outlook



January 20th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I’ve used the GTD system for about 6 months now and it works fantastically well. Creating rules for :a: and :wf: to copy sent emails to Actions and Waiting For folders has made my life much less stressful. Dragging and dropping incoming messages takes care of that part. Anything I can do in less than 2 minutes take care of when I see it. It is great opening my inbox and having no messages in it.
July 28th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Hi,
To improve my productivity and reduce space on my hard disk, I would like to find the solution to the following:
I use Outlook 2003.
By putting, for example in Word, the following:
when you click on that link, it opens the message named “Message_object” (which message is in your Oulook Inbox already opened).
But how can I open an attached document (named for instance “toto.doc” without the “”) to this email from a link (put in a Word document for instance)?
Additional questions: if two personal files are simultaneously opened , each in one Inbox (respectively corresponding to files “file1.pst” and “file2.pst”), how should I write the link? And does this work if only “file1.pst” is already opened in Outlook (in that case, how to write the link regarding the “file2.pst” supposed to be in C:\Mail\ ?
Thank you in advance for your answer.
Best regards
P.S. I know I am not using the right place (if any) on that site but did not find how to contact you …
July 29th, 2009 at 7:00 am
February 20th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
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