Slashdot Asks: How Do You Manage Your Inbox? (npr.org)

Being one of the oldest forms of electronic messaging, users have come up with all sorts of different approaches to managing emails. Some people follow the "Inbox Zero" method of filing and deleting emails religiously, while others embrace the "Inbox Infinity" method of letting email messages pile up, replying to what they can and ignoring the rest. Taylor Lorenz, a staff writer at The Atlantic, suggests users embrace the latter for 2019. Lulu Garcia-Nevarro writes via NPR: In a recent piece in The Atlantic, tech writer Taylor Lorenz argues, in 2019, you should lose the zero and embrace the Zen. Let all those emails flooding your inbox wash over you. Respond to what you can, and ignore the rest. Key to inbox infinity -- telling close contacts and family that your email replies might be slow in coming -- if at all -- as well as alternative ways to reach you. It's that easy. Or maybe not, depending on how email-dependent your boss, your colleagues and your best friend, your mom and your husband are. As for me, I've apparently been embracing inbox infinity for years without knowing it. And let me tell you, it feels great. Don't expect a reply anytime soon. How do you manage your inbox? Would you say you follow one of these two principles, or do you have an in-between method that works for you?

Comments

I don't.

[Mr. Dollar Ton]

I've jumped on the buzzword bandwagon and let AI manage it for me.

Have 32 inboxes

[a_n_d_e_r_s]

Automatically move emails to the appropriate inbox from the main inbox.

Computors is good at sorting - let them do it for you.

Re:Have 32 inboxes

[AmiMoJo]

I used to do that but realized it wasn't actually saving me time and I was in fact wasting effort sorting stuff I mainly never looked at again.

Now I just rely on search, specifically Gmail's. By remembering some simple syntax (e.g. to:) and with auto-complete I can find anything in a few seconds and don't have to spend any time sorting or organizing. It's a lot more efficient.

Use two emails: private & public

[UnknownSoldier]

I have 2 domain names:

* Private one that my family uses and know that they can get a near instantaneous response, and
* Public one that I use for ALL business related emails. I also have an email alias for _each_ company so I can which fucker sells me out if they do.

If my name was John Smith:

john.amazon@smith.com
john.bank@smith.com
john.crapco@smith.com
john.groupon@smith.com
john.monoprice@smith.com
john.shadyco@smith.com
john.woot@smith.com

and I start getting emails from john.shadyco discussing crap co products/services then I know which of these assholes sold me out.

Re:Use two emails: private & public

[umafuckit]

I do this too and it's remarkably how rarely I get sold out. It's so rare, in fact, that now out of laziness I end up just giving my "shopping@johnsmith.com" to all on-line vendors because it's easier than starting a new address each time. What's not so rare is that a vendor starts to spam me after first e-mail contact. They always stop when asked, though.

Re:Use two emails: private & public

[LordHighExecutioner]

I am John Smith, and you just triggered the arrival of a huge amount of spam to my secret inboxes, you insensitive clod!

Re:It isn't 1995 anymore -- text messages

[omnichad]

So what makes you read text messages, then? In a world of MMS, they can be just as long as an email, but we'll the downside that it's locked down to a single device with a touch interface.

infinity?

[markdavis]

>"Respond to what you can, and ignore the rest. Key to inbox infinity -- telling close contacts and family that your email replies might be slow in coming -- if at all -- as well as alternative ways to reach you"

That is just being an asshole. And what "alternative ways" are more efficient and less annoying? Being interrupted constantly with phone calls or texts? Writing a letter?