Five holy steps in Gmail

By RK Rishikesh Sinha, New Delhi

There is nothing new to add in the arena of internet the importance that the electronic mail plays in our day to day life. It is the first step to get introduced into the fragmented, faceless world of internet. 

Unfortunately, the electronic mail is less understood, it is being used lesser to its highest potential. Well, I am talking about Google Mail i.e., Gmail - the ubiquitous mail that has taken into its fold more million people than any other email providers put together. 

People are shedding off their first email identity - created in other providers like Yahoo!, MSN, rediffmail, and like many - to Gmail. And, I am one among million people to do so. 

The bonhomie that I have built up with Gmail is special and mutual. And after you read this article, you will come to know - why it is so. 

Going straight, when my friends catch me red-handed in Gmail early hours and trigger a chat, saying - what's up? Those known to me, they know I have a ready-made answer - Mail Management! 

Here are few of the steps that I follow in Gmail, you can say Mail Management. Sorry, it is not about pressing ‘delete’ button to mails. 

1. Archive: The Archive tab that you see in your Gmail is an important tool. Very few people use it intelligently. Use this tab when you see the mail is important, but it is NOT very important at present. The mail has its importance in future. By pressing on the Archive button, you will be deleting the mail (in Google terminology - conversation) from your mail box, to be sent to one corner of Google's space. You can retrieve the mail by clicking on the All Mail tab on the extreme right panel in Gmail.

By extensive use of this tool, you will come to know - why Gmail doesn’t have any folder system that is available in Yahoo! mail and other email platforms. You understand Google's philosophy. 

2. Filter: Filter is another one feature on which I give series of lectures in my office and in my friends circle. Use this tool when in your list of persons, you exchange mail extensively - official and personal. By doing so, you will not only keep track of all the mail exchanges - sent, but also of your received mail (in inbox). To create Filter is easy, do it now.

But,don't forget to label it.

3. Label: I would say Label is the substitution of Folder system. Create different ‘Label’ for the 'Sent' and received mail. By doing so, you will be able to track each and every mail 'label'ed without getting tizzy at the last moment to search a mail. 

4. Open as Google Document: Is one such feature that I use it almost every day when writers of this blog send their beloved articles. By doing so, I create double copies of an article, one in the Gmail [original] and another in Google Docs. 

5. Star: Hmmm! With 'Star' you could priortize your mails according to their importance and urgency. However, you can give different colours to the stars, it is the Google's latest new addition. 

Practice these tools, you will find Gmail is much scientific and humane to our demands and needs. This I called - Mail Management. 

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