After ten years of Outlook use, here are the four things that have made the biggest difference for me.

1. Learn the keyboard shortcuts. Most actions in Outlook are MUCH faster by using the keyboard rather than floating back and forth to the mouse.

2. Use the autoarchive function. I set up a new outlook data file each year for archived emails. I have individual folders set up with specific rules on how long to keep stuff around before it gets archived. This enables me to keep the material long-term and to keep my main outlook data file down to a reasonable size. When that file gets too big, it slows the whole system down.

3. GTD add-in. For about a year and half now, I have been using the GTD add-in. It is the tool that has made it possible for me to implement the GTD methodology successfully.

4. X1 Search. I use the x1 tool (http://www.x1.com) as my desktop and email search tool. It allows me to catalog all of the aforementioned archive files and find what I need in an instant.