Real Life: Empty your Inbox in 30 Seconds

1. Create an archive folder
   In your favorite email program, create a folder and name it “Archive” followed by today’s date. For example, “Archive_20060822″.
2. Move everything in your Inbox to the archive
   Go to your inbox, select all the email messages and move them into the folder you just created.

• You won’t read 95% of it again
  Most of the emails festering in your inbox are messages that you’ll never ever read again. So why even bother wasting the mental energy to decide if you should delete each message or not? If you do need an old email later, just use Spotlight on the Mac or Google Desktops on the PC to retrieve it.
• An instant clean break from your antiquated system
  The longer you spend entrenched in a cesspool of old emails, the less likely you’ll adopt a new system because of the perceived time it will take. Since it’s over in 30 seconds, clearing your Inbox immediately gives you a positive sense of relief and a clean slate to implement a long-term strategy for new emails.

Ok, so you’ve you banished all your old emails, what’s next? 

You still need to manage incoming email. Since you’ve cleared your inbox, you can try one of these systems:

• Merlin’s Inbox Makeover 
• Gina’s Trusted Trio system 

For more email tips, check out Merlin’s Inbox Zero series.

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