I gave a second chance to Inbox…and I can’t live without it now
I lined up to use inbox app in 2013. It’s not even launched but already got a lot of buzz. More than 100K was waiting in front of me. Finally a month later I got an invitation.
I used it for 3 days… then I deleted it. A bit disappointed. “Just another email app” I thought.
Not until late 2014 that I randomly downloaded it again, because of the ongoing frustration using Apple mail and Gmail app. And this time, I felt like “I got it”
It was the time that I taught classes, worked on my startup and consulted for my clients. My inbox started to fill up so quickly. It’s overwhelming. I used my email as a big grumpy box that I can put everything in there (really everything!). It was my sticky notes, reminders, calendars, storages, archives and bookmarks. Thus, I have more than 10K unread emails hanging on my inbox every morning. It’s intimidating and starting to made me less productive, discourage and negative every time I look at my email.
That’s when I start to interact with my email differently in order to survive!
Uses email as an actual mailbox
I started to use email as an actual mailbox. We check the mailbox and get all the mails. And go through each mail one by one. The box always empty (mostly) everyday and ready for the new stuff tomorrow morning. Really, Nobody stare at the mailbox 10+ times a day to see what is new or use it as a calendar or storage. it’s just a mailbox.
This way of using email surprisingly makes me feel refresh instead of discourage to check my email. Moreover, I tend to respond to emails a lot quicker than before with 0 mail left in my inbox.
Coincidently, I have changed my habit at the same time I gave Inbox a second chance. And it works together perfectly.
Inbox is one of the most powerful tool for work + life management. It helps me focus and read email extremely faster. And when my email is mostly empty. It’s less scary to check and reply important emails. I listed out major function that I love here.
Done
A check icon called “Done” help me finish reading email 10x faster. I skim through each sender name and title and tab done or swipe left on each email if it’s not important (most of them are). For the promos or updates section, I just give a glance and click “All done”. I can finish filtering most of the email less than 5 minute.
Then I will spend time closely on important emails. I like this “Done” idea a lot because it’s not too horrifying like erase. And it is the most useful function differentiated from the old Gmail. Just get shit done fast. Even if you mistakenly tab done, you can still bring it back from the done section anytime.
You took all your mails with you from the mailbox. And before you reach your door. More than half of your mails go in the trash can. Then you sit and read only what matters.
Snoozed
My girlfriend told me “I leave email in inbox to remind me what I have to do” I totally understand why she use it that way because I used to do it too. But I have changed since I have Trello for to-do and Sunrise for scheduling. For email that is interesting but I don’t want to read it now or no-reply email. “Snoozed” really works as the passive reminder that will show when I need. I found out that I usually snooze email about travel, newsletter and deals.
Put your mails on your desk, journal, calendar or fridge door . Organize all the bills and documents that you need to keep but don’t have to respond.
Undo
We sometimes send email without the attachment file or send to the wrong person or you realized the typo after you click send. Undo is really useful to avoid those mistakes. I can click “Undo” to bring anyting back (within 5 seconds). The thing is I don’t have to download an extension to do this on Inbox like Gmail. It’s already there.
Because sending postmail take more time and effort it’s harder to make a mistakes like email.
Get shit done
In conclusion, the main idea behind Inbox (the inbox that works for you) is to help you “get your shit(email) done” in the fastest and the most effective way instead of keeping them in your email. I am the one who used it for a short time and delete it before I even get what it is. I think because email product is not an original idea of course. In order to make user impress or get the concept is harder than other breakthrough juicy startup.
App makers need to consider that users need sometime to adjust and understand the product as well. They just need to have a bold vision to lead users and wait for the right time. The time that took me more than a year to reconsider and fall in love.
Thanks you Inbox team. I can’t live without it now.
PS: I’m really addicted to see this image everyday on my inbox. A small piece of graphic for encouragement when no email.
