Since Email is . . . .

[gtdstudente]

GTDers,

Since Email is seemingly "on Auto-Review" . . . any techniques and thoughts regarding the "Email Files (References, Support, etc.), Lists (Checks, Context, Projects, Tickler, etc.), etc. . . . possibly a.k.a. Email Labels" ?

Thank you very much

 

[cfoley]

For some projects, I keep a document with all the information I need. I often paraphrase or paste the relevant parts of emails into that document and reference the original email.

For things like hotel bookings or Amazon locker visits where I will need the email itself, I put it into Action Support.

I don't use any other folders or labels.

Once an email is processed, I press the archive button. If I want to find it again, I can search or look in the list of all email.

 

[gtdstudente]

For some projects, I keep a document with all the information I need. I often paraphrase or paste the relevant parts of emails into that document and reference the original email.

For things like hotel bookings or Amazon locker visits where I will need the email itself, I put it into Action Support.

I don't use any other folders or labels.

Once an email is processed, I press the archive button. If I want to find it again, I can search or look in the list of all email.

@cfoley

Seems clear . . . you use email as designed; 'transitory [communication] system' and appropriate Action Support with an 'archive function' for undefined future reference

Likewise, appreciate your cleverly adding 'email' reference note in the project document if/when needed

Wishing to have your confidence in 'abandoning' digital folders and labels . . . at least in email

The upside . . . is having life's parameters/variables dynamically 'email present' . . . whether that is 'maintenance worthy' certainly remains questionable

Very GTD good

Very GTD proficient . . . thank you very much sir

 

[cfoley]

Wishing to have your confidence in 'abandoning' digital folders and labels . . . at least in email

Maybe these benefits that I find can be food for thought.

• You can always find the email from the document for that project.
• The document that references the email is like a folder in that you can reference many emails from it.
• An email forces me to create at lease one file for a project which means that I have somewhere to add other kinds of information.
• Once I have read an email, I can write a very condensed explanation omitting pleasantries and long explanations. Just a few words can summarise most emails.
• Many emails arrive in a stream-of-consciousness format. I can extract and organise the parts that are relevant to me.
• For long projects, information and decisions can become out of date. I can delete that information from my notes so that they always reflect the latest.
• In all cases, I can refer to the original email easily.
• None of the above prevents the use of folders.

 

[gtdstudente]

Maybe these benefits that I find can be food for thought.

• You can always find the email from the document for that project.
• The document that references the email is like a folder in that you can reference many emails from it.
• An email forces me to create at lease one file for a project which means that I have somewhere to add other kinds of information.
• Once I have read an email, I can write a very condensed explanation omitting pleasantries and long explanations. Just a few words can summarise most emails.
• Many emails arrive in a stream-of-consciousness format. I can extract and organise the parts that are relevant to me.
• For long projects, information and decisions can become out of date. I can delete that information from my notes so that they always reflect the latest.
• In all cases, I can refer to the original email easily.
• None of the above prevents the use of folders.

@cfoley

All very, very nice

Appreciate your efficient line of thought . . . succinct thinking is really, really beneficial . . . really beneficial

Distilling from input sources while the original 'bloated' input sources remain out of the way available if need be without hindrance

That is so GTD

Thank you very much sir