The email dread and overwhelm!! We all experience it.  Do you have 1000 messages in your in box of items you need to action?  Yikes..

Email  keeps us hostage sometimes, even keeps us from doing what we want and can often feel like an obligation.

Email can be an incredibly powerful tool for effective communication and organization, but it can also become overwhelming if you don't have a solid system in place to manage it properly. Here are some helpful tips for effectively managing your email:

1. Create folders and labels to organize your email. This can significantly help you keep track of important messages and easily find exactly what you're looking for when you need it. I like to create labels for people, or topics such as individual customers, projects or events. Eliminates lots of “searching” Then flag the important messages from those people or that topic.

2. Use Smart Mail boxes for MAC This is my all time favourite. If you haven’t set up a smart mail box you have no idea what you are missing. Is the holy grail of email organization.

3. Unsubscribe from emails you no longer wish to receive. This straightforward action will help reduce the number of emails cluttering up your inbox, making it much easier to manage your communications.

4. Use the "delete" and "archive" functions to keep your inbox clean and tidy. If you no longer need an email, don't hesitate to delete it. Conversely, if you need to keep it for reference but don’t want it in your inbox, be sure to archive it. Better yet SMART mail box it!

5. Utilize the "snooze" function to temporarily remove emails from your inbox. This feature can be particularly helpful when you need to focus on other important tasks and want to avoid distractions from incoming emails.

6. Set aside specific times of the day to check and respond to emails. This approach can help you stay focused throughout your day and avoid the urge to constantly check your inbox.

Managing your email effectively takes a bit of discipline and organization, but it's undoubtedly worth the effort. By following a few practical tips and discovering a system that works best for you, you can take charge of your email and use it as a powerful tool to help you stay organized and productive throughout your busy day.

Hope these few tips give you strength and satisfaction when you are able to tame the bear of email.