How to Manage E-mail Overload

Keep the Most Recent Message Replies Only
Some emails become part of a long conversation that starts with one message and multiplies into several listing in your inbox. This usually occurs when one email get multiple replies between you and another person. If you respond to an email and then someone sends a reply back after the initial message, there are now two of the same messages in your inbox. These emails can triple and quadruple out of control, causing email overload. One message turns into five and the next thing you know, there are 200 messages in your inbox including new and old emails. One way to manage email overload with replies is by removing all previous messages from the same conversation except for the most recent email.

Create a Forwarded/"FWD" Folder for Chain Emails
Chain emails usually contain jokes, alleged breaking news, event flyers, religious material and other recreational content. They are sent from one person to another and then forwarded in a seemingly never-ending cycle. It is not unusual to receive over a dozen chain emails in one day depending on how many people have your email address. These chain messages can crowd your inbox quickly, causing email overload if they are not kept under control. Chain emails will also lengthen the time that it takes for you to check new email messages. This of email overload can be a burden, especially for men and women who maintain a busy working and social schedule.

Instead of checking all of your chain emails, create a separate folder to hold all forwarded chain email messages. Move these emails to the folder every time they come into your email inbox. Doing so will free up space in your inbox and allow you to focus on more important email messages. The special folder can be checked on your days off from work or sudden moments of downtime. Organizing the high volume of chain emails is one way to manage email overload.

Setup Filters for Emails to be sent to Specific Folders
Another way to manage email overload is by reducing the amount of new messages in your inbox. Some email services have filtering options that allow you to identify specific email addresses or websites that should be sent to specific folders. You will need to create separate email folders in your account in addition to setting up filters. Some email messages that may not be extremely important include stores sales, newsletters, receipts from purchases and regular notifications from other websites where you are a member. Filter settings helps to organize your messages into smaller portions to handle and manage email overload at the same time.