I try to keep my inbox limited to the visible window at all times. I now hate the creeping feeling that something is lurking just below the preview window (which of course limits inbox viewing space further).

We have a very small size limit, so all reference emails (articles, recent legislation, library bulletins, questions answered etc) go into a folder on our document management system. They are there if I need or want to read them, but I don’t have to worry about them.

Personal emails that I want to keep go into a “Read and kept” folder. This is mostly the rare good joke emails, family photos and emails in the elaborate soap opera that is the lives of my friends which I want to preserve for posterity.

Almost everything else gets either dealt with, put into the DMS or printed and filed. If I still have something to do, I put a note and bring up on the task for the appropriate matter.

The remnant does (must!) fit the procrustean bed that is my inbox - brief emails waiting for a reply, something I can’t bring myself to look at until after a strong cup of tea, etc. This system has worked for me pretty well for almost a year now.

(We send a lot of emails and - being a law firm - must keep a hard copy of all of them and print the sent receipts. I had to train myself to print the emails as soon as they are sent, and the receipts as soon as they come in, and then delete them. Better to sort hard copies at the printer than end up with 2000 anonymous receipts in the inbox).