Assimilated into Gmail's workflow

“Am I becoming too used to / comfortable with the Gmail workflow?”

I hit this question as I was setting up MS Outlook on my laptop. The answer seems to have presented itself when I started trying to navigate by hitting the “j” key.

When Gmail first came out, they changed the normal concept of email. There were protests at first, but many grew to like it. There were labels instead of folders, you store them in one gigantic archive, the interface was simple and there are keyboard shortcuts to go with it.

Somewhere along, the concept of labels were introduced and many “productivity hacks” came about. One of the more well known methods on the internet on using gmail filters to manage email is by adding a plus sign behind the username and then adding a filter to label the email. For example, me+note@gmail.com would have the label “Notes” applied once it arrives at your email box.

I  use filters and labels in Gmail extensively to categorize my emails and thus determine the importance and order in which I clear my emails. Email’s from contacts and work would have a higher precedence compared to personal, entertainment etc. Labels helps to provide a quick “at once glance” classification.

Furthermore, I even created one Gmail account for archival and storage (hey 7GB is alot of space!). Using filters, like “filename:pdf filename:docx filename:ppt” and “+reg +todo +work” etc, gmail easily becomes a file storage solution which is automated and accessible elsewhere.

Although I usually go for elaborate interfaces and designs, I grew to like Gmail’s no-distraction and simple layout.

Well, I suppose I can start turning back to the old “folder” workflow again, as well as going back to using the mouse instead of my preferred “j” and “k” keys…

Anyway, for those interested, here are some usage of Gmail Filters:

• Supercharge your Gmail Filters (via Lifehacker)
• 10  Must have Gmail Filters (via Lifehacker)
• Gmail Help: Using Filters