12 Tips To Increase Your Productivity In Gmail: Explore Now!

1. Filtering Unwanted Emails

One of the most common issues people face with Gmail is being bombarded with promotional newsletters that distract them from important emails. But fear not! You can easily filter out these newsletters and keep your inbox organized. The first step is to identify which emails are newsletters. Most newsletters will have an unsubscribe button at the top or bottom of the email.

To filter out these newsletters, create a filter using the word “unsubscribe“. 

Click Create filter

 

This will ensure that all newsletter emails are redirected to a separate folder or labeled accordingly. You can also add exceptions for important emails that might have an unsubscribe link.

 

2. Enable the Reading Pane

Opening emails individually and returning to the inbox can be time-consuming. To save time and quickly go through your emails, enable the reading pane option. This allows you to read emails without leaving your inbox. You can easily switch between multiple emails and increase your email productivity.

 

3. Use Grammarly for Better Emails

Google’s spell checker is great for catching spelling mistakes, but it doesn’t check for grammar errors. To improve your email writing, use Grammarly. It analyzes your text and provides suggestions for grammar and spelling mistakes. It can also suggest better words and rephrase sentences based on the type of email you’re writing. click here 

4. Create Email Templates

If you send the same type of email repeatedly, such as job applications or customer feedback, create email templates. This saves you from copying and pasting content from previous emails every time.

Enable the template feature in your Gmail settings and save your frequently used emails as templates. When you want to use a template, select it from the templates menu in the compose window.

 

Compose the Email and add it to the Template, then save the draft as a template.

You can create multiple templates, save them as a new template, and use them in email accordingly. 

5. Add Signatures to Your Emails

If you’re sending multiple emails every day, adding a signature can save you time. A signature can include your name, job title, contact information, and even an image or a link to your website. Simply go to the settings in Gmail, navigate to the signatures section, and create a new signature. You can add multiple signatures and choose which one to use when composing an email.

 

6. Schedule Your Emails

Sending emails at the right time is crucial, especially when dealing with people in different time zones. With Gmail’s scheduling feature, you can compose an email and choose the exact time you want it to be sent. This ensures that your emails are delivered at the most convenient time for the recipient.

 

7. Access Gmail Offline

What if you need to access your important emails when you don’t have an internet connection? Gmail’s offline mode allows you to do just that. By enabling offline mode in your Gmail settings, you can read, reply to, and compose emails even without an internet connection. Your actions will be synced once you’re online again.

 

8. Set Self Reminders

To stay on top of your emails and follow up on important conversations, set self-reminders. By installing an extension like rightinbox, you can easily set reminders for specific emails. This ensures that you never miss important deadlines or forget to follow up on important emails.

 

9. Track Email Opens and Clicks

If you’re curious about whether your emails are being read or if recipients are clicking on any links within your emails, use email tracking. By enabling this feature, you can receive notifications when someone opens your email or clicks on a link. You can also view the tracking information to see how many times your email has been opened. You can enable this feature by installing an extension rightinbox

 

10. Reverse Email Conversations

By default, Gmail displays email conversations in chronological order, with the latest email at the bottom. This can be inconvenient when you need to quickly access new emails. With the reverse conversation feature, your new follow-up emails will be displayed at the top, making it easier for you to see and respond to new messages. Click here

 

11. Send Emails in a Confidential Mode

Confidential mode allows you to send emails with a time limit and prevents them from being forwarded, copied, or downloaded. This is especially useful when sending sensitive information or time-sensitive communications. You can also require recipients to verify their identity using a phone number, ensuring that only the intended recipient can access the email.

Click on the Lock option below, which will open this Dialog box 

 

12. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

To save time and navigate Gmail more efficiently, use keyboard shortcuts. By enabling keyboard shortcuts in your Gmail settings, you can perform common tasks with just a few keystrokes. For example, pressing “C” allows you to compose a new email, and pressing “G” followed by “I” takes you back to your inbox. Familiarize yourself with the available shortcuts and start using them to increase your productivity.

 

To Summarize:

Increasing productivity in Gmail involves utilizing its built-in features, integrating useful tools, and adopting efficient email management practices. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you maximize your productivity in Gmail:

1. Master Gmail’s Built-in Features

a. Labels and Filters

• Labels: Use labels to categorize emails by topic, project, or priority. You can create custom labels and color-code them for easy identification.
• Filters: Set up filters to automatically sort incoming emails into labels, archive them, mark as read, or even delete them based on specific criteria like sender, subject, or keywords.

b. Priority Inbox

• Enable Priority Inbox: This feature sorts your emails into categories like Important and Unread, Starred, and Everything Else, helping you focus on the most critical emails first.

c. Keyboard Shortcuts

• Turn on Keyboard Shortcuts: Go to Settings > See all settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts, and enable them.
• Learn Key Shortcuts: Some essential shortcuts include:
  • C: Compose new email
  • E: Archive email
  • R: Reply to email
  • A: Reply all
  • F: Forward email
  • G then I: Go to Inbox
  • G then D: Go to Drafts

d. Templates (Canned Responses)

• Create Templates: Save frequently used email responses as templates. Go to Settings > See all settings > Advanced > Enable Templates.
• Use Templates: When composing an email, click on the three dots in the compose window, select Templates, and choose your pre-saved response.

2. Integrate Useful Tools and Extensions

a. Google Tasks

• Add Emails to Tasks: Convert emails into tasks by clicking on the “Add to Tasks” button in the email toolbar. This helps you keep track of important emails that require follow-up actions.

b. Gmail Add-ons

• Install Add-ons: Go to the Gmail Marketplace to find and install add-ons that integrate with other tools you use, such as Trello, Asana, Slack, and more.

c. Boomerang

• Schedule Emails: Boomerang allows you to schedule emails to be sent later, set reminders for follow-ups, and snooze emails to reappear in your inbox at a later time.

d. Grammarly

• Writing Assistance: Grammarly checks your emails for spelling and grammar errors, helping you write more professionally and efficiently.

3. Adopt Efficient Email Management Practices

a. Inbox Zero

• Aim for Inbox Zero: Keep your inbox empty or nearly empty by regularly archiving or deleting unnecessary emails. Use labels and filters to keep your inbox organized.

b. Time Management

• Schedule Email Time: Allocate specific times of the day to check and respond to emails rather than checking them continuously. This reduces distractions and increases focus on other tasks.

c. Unsubscribe from Unwanted Emails

• Clean Up Subscriptions: Regularly unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails that you no longer find useful. This reduces inbox clutter and makes important emails more visible.

d. Use the “Snooze” Feature

• Snooze Emails: Temporarily remove emails from your inbox until you’re ready to deal with them. Click the Snooze button (clock icon) and choose a time for the email to return to your inbox.

4. Advanced Tips

a. Customizing Notifications

• Set Notification Preferences: Customize your notifications to alert you only for important emails. Go to Settings > See all settings > General > Desktop Notifications.

b. Search Operators

• Use Search Operators: Efficiently find emails using search operators. Examples include:
  • from: Search by sender (e.g., from

    @example.com)

  • subject: Search by subject line (e.g., subject

    )

  • has

    : Find emails with attachments

  • older_than: Find emails older than a specific time period (e.g., older_than:1y)

c. Multiple Inboxes

• Set Up Multiple Inboxes: Customize your inbox layout to show multiple sections. Go to Settings > See all settings > Inbox > Inbox type > Multiple Inboxes.

 

Conclusion

By implementing these tips and tricks, you can take full advantage of Gmail’s features and improve your email organization, efficiency, and productivity. Remember to customize these tips to suit your specific needs and workflow.

To increase your productivity in Gmail:

• Master built-in features like labels, filters, priority inbox, and keyboard shortcuts.
• Integrate useful tools such as Google Tasks, Boomerang, and Grammarly.
• Adopt efficient email management practices, including aiming for inbox zero, managing your email time, and unsubscribing from unwanted emails.
• Utilize advanced tips like customizing notifications, using search operators, and setting up multiple inboxes.

By implementing these strategies, you can manage your Gmail account more effectively, reduce clutter, and focus on what matters most.

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for more helpful content.

You also may like: Chrome Extensions you can’t miss in 2024