Marking one to come back to
Mark the three messages that genuinely need doing, and find them again in a single press.
Most people use unread messages as a list of things to do. It half works, which is the worst way for anything to work.
Every mail program has a proper marker for this — a flag, or a star. Pressing it puts the message on a short list of its own, and changes nothing else about it.
Key points
- Flag a message so it joins a short list of things that genuinely need you
- Look at every flagged message in one press, instead of scrolling the inbox
- Send a message away until Monday and have it come back on its own
What to remember
- Flag, star, or the little check mark — different names, one idea: this one needs me.
- Flag on the way past, and glance at the flagged list once a week. That is a whole system, and it takes no maintenance.
- Snooze is the right tool when a message is not for now. Flag is the right tool when it is for this week.
Try this
Flag the three messages in your own inbox that really need you this week. Then open the Flagged or Starred folder and see how short the list turns out to be.
Practice: Marking one to come back to. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.