Properly managed, your email inbox can be a powerful system for staying on top of tasks and reminding yourself of outstanding obligations. Sometimes, small changes can make a big difference in how effective you are at managing your workflow and communication.
If you use Gmail, here’s a tip to help you follow-up on messages. Many people use the concept of an “unread” message as a message which hasn’t been answered (or a task that hasn’t been completed). Even after the message is read, you can mark a message “unread” to remind you it’s unresolved, or needs attention.
Now, with Gmail’s custom inboxes, you can set unread messages to always appear at the top of your inbox. It’s quite easy to do, and allows you to keep all tasks that require attention at the top of your box.
To set this up, simply click Settings > Inbox > Inbox type: “Unread First.”
Once established, a new section of your Inbox will say “Unread” and below, other mail will appear. This “Unread” section will contain all of your unread messages, and therefore all of your messages and/or tasks to follow-up with.
