Over the past 6 months I’ve worked out a very streamlined workflow for use inside Apple’s Mail application. No longer do I file each email under a specific folder, I have just one main folder setup, called the “Archive”.
Along with the Archive, I have three sub-folders.
- @ Reply
- @ Hold
- @ To-Do
When an email arrives in my inbox I file it straight away into one of these three folders. If it needs to be replied to, I file it in the “Reply” folder, if I need it on reference it will be filed in the “Hold” folder, and if it requires action other than replying, it gets filed in the “To-Do” folder.
Once the email is no longer relevant to one of these three folders, it gets dumped into the Archive where it stays permanently. If I need to find an email, I use Spotlight.
I find this setup works the best for me as I can quickly glance at just the messages which need replying to in one click if I have a little free time, while all my reference material is stored in one place until it’s no longer relevant.