> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://i.janardhanpulivarthi.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://i.janardhanpulivarthi.com/season-1/advanced-gmail-tips.md).

# Advanced Gmail tips

Some advanced Gmail tips to simplify work and emotional life

Managing email flow became part of workers (students, managers, even freshers) daily job. But, the email is not free - it is a hard task to read and respond to an email. see <https://hbr.org/2013/04/email-is-not-free#>.

In the above article, Tom Cochran identified that it cost **95 cents (of labor costs) per email**. So, if you have worked on 100 emails per week, then it is $95.

{% hint style="info" %}
Tip: Shallow email reading affects our attention residue and decrease task efficiency.
{% endhint %}

## Email how-to

### 1 Sending email 📤

Always schedule send an email at least one hour. Of course, it depends on what work you do. I am a bridge designer, so one hour works for me.

![](https://3526924997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MIgCXXRd_zYwMrU-RaQ%2F-MV-9ZF6JwJCos0Fqyhd%2F-MV-AqhvcRajGgC4vrhJ%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=edfcbe46-c101-4c74-a0f1-f28811f5c67b)

![](https://3526924997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MIgCXXRd_zYwMrU-RaQ%2F-MV-9ZF6JwJCos0Fqyhd%2F-MV-Am5AA4fwUz5UI15n%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=ca46224c-2248-4a4e-893d-5888dcc99150)

#### Table - Email schedule template

| Scenario                       | Hours            |
| ------------------------------ | ---------------- |
| For sure emails and urgent     | 1 hrs.           |
| For sure emails and not urgent | 12 hrs.          |
| Not sure emails and not urgent | 24 hrs.          |
| Not sure emails and urgent     | Is it necessary? |

### 2 Creating a filter&#x20;

Let us say you want all your bank statements to go into the archive, then **`filter`** will do.

#### Method 1: Do it from the search bar

![](https://3526924997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MIgCXXRd_zYwMrU-RaQ%2F-MV-9ZF6JwJCos0Fqyhd%2F-MV-Ay0GRqOCIo4qWFXO%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=6928fdfd-3ad6-47ec-b0af-5d0ed97e7788)

![](https://3526924997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MIgCXXRd_zYwMrU-RaQ%2F-MV-9ZF6JwJCos0Fqyhd%2F-MV-B2TS9yDJp7N1vbj7%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=405d472a-9371-46a2-8f7e-4533d4ffbbcd)

#### Method 2: Do it right on the email

![](https://3526924997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MIgCXXRd_zYwMrU-RaQ%2F-MV-9ZF6JwJCos0Fqyhd%2F-MV-BCVs6nG_p2aT417J%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=d440267d-66d0-4d14-b4c9-87e6aa74a6e2)

### 3 Labels 🔖

<div align="left"><img src="https://3526924997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MIgCXXRd_zYwMrU-RaQ%2F-MV-9ZF6JwJCos0Fqyhd%2F-MV-Baojl2aurMD0kgPS%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=293ff9a3-4d57-4bcc-b697-0fcb7a59a921" alt=""></div>

#### Table - example labels for emails

| Name               | Description                                                |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **`work`**         | Job related                                                |
| **`friends`**      | Discussion with friends                                    |
| **`transactions`** | <p>bill receipts</p><p>bank transactions, trading etc.</p> |

### 4 Snooze ⏰

To get predictive responses use scheduling with snooze. It will activate the email after certain time. Email anxiety is real!

![](https://3526924997-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MIgCXXRd_zYwMrU-RaQ%2F-MV-9ZF6JwJCos0Fqyhd%2F-MV-DrDznpFHREJWUQh-%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=e2e84203-258b-4b91-b1f7-1317315e124f)

Snooze the email by the following time. If you feel anxious by various emails snoozing will help.

#### Table - snooze schedule

| Type           | Time            |
| -------------- | --------------- |
| Personal       | 12 hrs.         |
| Project email  | 12 hrs.         |
| Support emails | 2 business days |

## House keeping 🧹

#### Cycle time

Every three months, decide the mails that are essential and archive them. Discard the remaining. Four times a year.

{% hint style="info" %}
Would like something to be added, write to: `improve@janardhan.page`
{% endhint %}