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December 21, 2008
Organizing actionable emails.
I received the following inquiry about the @Action email folder and thought I would share my response.
Would you clarify the use of the @Action folder? It has bugged me for weeks. I find myself putting e-mails in there as I'm processing my Inbox that I could just as easily use to create a project, task, or appointment (and later often do). What is supposed to go in the @Action folder?
The @Action email folder is a great place to organize emails that you still need to take action on, and this action is longer than 2 minutes.
The use of this folder is personal. I have worked with some people who prefer to drag their email into a "task" so all of their actions are in one place.
Other people drag many of their longer than 2 minute actionable emails to their calendar as an all day event to be done anytime on a certain day, while others drag these emails to a certain time frame on their calendar to be completed then.
I do both of these and use the @Action email folder.
Here are my guidelines:
- If the action in the email is context-based (call, errand, conversation to have with someone, etc) I will usually drag it and create a task in the appropriate category.
- If the action in the email is time-sensitive - according to me or another person - I usually drag it to my calendar.
- If the action in the email requires me to read/review/digest the email and respond, I usually drag it to the @Action email folder. I do this so the email stays in email form, thus enabling a quick retrieval (less clicks).
It is also the practice of many GTD'ers to add to the subject line in CAPS (so you know what you changed) before moving the email to @Action folder so you do not have to "re-think" the email (see below).
Are you doing anything different with your actionable emails? Remember, GTD offers much freedom in how you organize.
Have a wonderful and relaxing Holiday Season and be well!
Danny
Posted by Danny at December 21, 2008 09:52 AM
Comments
Great idea! I just put this to work in my Outlook and it truly helps GTD!
Posted by: Micaiah Irmler at January 4, 2009 03:09 PM
I'm sure I'm not the only one who often receives emails with a document attached which ask you to review the document and feed back.
I try to enforce the practice of responding to ask when the feedback is needed for, if that was not already specified.
Take your example above of "Listen and Read: Conquering Procrastination". If you were committing to do that by a week on Friday, how would that change the way you stored it?
I did not know that you could edit the title of a received email (In Outlook - just tried it) Thanks for that tip!
Posted by: Jon at January 29, 2009 05:26 AM
