As you have information coming into your desperate world, you can exert more control of your inputs with Google Apps. Gmail filters allow you to create automation with simple logic steps. Increase your speed and productivity by implementing these Google Apps filters.
1. Create Instant Tasks
Within your Gmail system, you can set a filter for creating tasks. This is done by sending yourself an email from your Gmail account within your browser or your mobile device. Your email alias can be appended with the “+” symbol and a tag. This tag can be used as part of the logic you build in your Gmail filter.
Thus, if you use starred items as your ongoing task list, then the filter can be set up as:
Any matches To: alias+tasks@yourdomain.com (i.e., don+tasks@inbox.com) should be starred and Skip The Inbox.
Your email with the respective prescribed alias enacts the filter rules.
2. Store And Recall Quotes
Quotes create motivation and are powerful for helping others, presenting in speaking or sales and thinking about your strategies. Create a filter which stores valuable quotes in your Gmail system. Simply set the following filter:
Any matches To: alias+quotes@yourdomain.com (i.e., don+quotes@inbox.com) should be labeled with “Quotes” and Skip The Inbox.
Now you can select the label for “Quotes” to review any quotes as well as Google search your email for any words or names of authors and speakers to access past quotes instantly from your browser or mobile device in the cloud.
3. Bookmark Web Tools
It is hard to track resources you might be able to use in the future while surfing the web. Set up another filter for bookmarking your web information by doing the following:
Any matches To: alias+tools@yourdomain.com (i.e., don+tools@inbox.com) should be labeled with “Tools” and Skip The Inbox
You can now access your bookmarked tools with the new label and search to recall what might be needed. Be sure to paste the url in the email you send to yourself and any notes which can become searchable for your recall.
4. Read Items Later
If you are subscribed to newsletters and website content, you can set up a filter which allows you to read items later to avoid interruption. This way incoming email will not disrupt. Simply create a filter for the “From” address of the sender or the title of the subscription emails and apply the label “Read Later” and Skip The Inbox. This creates a filtered list of emails which you can view in your browser or mobile device in the cloud.
From there, you can remove the label as you read through the content in this filter.
As You Think
Part of productivity is to keep a clear mind and minimize disruptions. Using Gmail filters allows you to set up the rules which make sense for your life and work. Use Gmail as your memory and hard drive for information that needs to be stored or dealt with later. You can access it quickly with search and keep your focus on what is at hand.
Try setting up these filters and sending such emails to yourself as you are out and about on your mobile device. You have essentially extended your memory to the cloud.
Question: What other filters do you find helpful to minimize disruption and increase speed?
