The end of the year 2014 is nearing and I’m starting to get some ‘what a great year’ email in my inbox.

As I reflect back on the year, I’d have to agree.

As I look at my work inbox, It’s sitting at 71 items – that’s not exactly ‘inbox zero’ but it’s a low enough number that I can quickly scan all of it at the end of the day to make sure nothing slipped by.

There are some great advantages of “inbox zero” and while I rarely get to ‘true zero’, having a small number of items in my inbox does provide a certain amount of peace and comfort that lets me focus my energy on other things, instead of having a looming feeling that I’ve forgotten to address something critical.

I’m sure there are plenty of books and blog posts on how to achieve such inbox nirvana, And I can’t say that I’ve read any of that. I do have one suggestion…
When your inbox gets overwhelming, it’s time for a flush.

When your inbox gets overwhelming, it’s time for a flush.

Now this doesn’t mean you just delete everything, but why not make a folder, call it “Stuff I didn’t get to in 2014” and drag EVERYTHING in from your “inbox” to this new folder? Then start out 2015 with a clear inbox and see if that helps your productivity and focus.

– Jack

Filed under “Deep thoughts by SharePoint Jack”