4 Easy Ways Gmail Can Boost Your Productivity 

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Email is wonderful but we all know it can easily go from hero to zero if you let your email behaviours run wild. If your inbox is giving you anxiety and affecting your productivity then it's time to take back control. 

The good news is that, thanks to GMails inbuilt features and integrations, you can make some simple changes that will help you get more done while spending less time in your inbox. ‍

⚡ Step 1 — Create Filters to Auto-Sort & De-Clutter

Let Gmail do the heavy lifting:

• Star important emails automatically:
  
  • Filter: from:@client.com → “Apply star” + “Apply label Projects/Client”
  • Filter: from:boss@X.com → “Apply star”
• Skip inbox for low-priority:
  
  • Filter: subject:newsletter → “Skip inbox” + “Apply label Reference”
• Flag task-worthy emails:
  
  • Filter: subject:(invoice OR action required) → “Apply label Today”

TIP - Setting up these filters delivers immense value if keep at it for a month or so to make sure all the recurring newsletters, notifications, updates etc, have cycled through your inbox.

✅ Step 2 — Turn Emails Into Tasks

Get them out of your inbox and into an actual to-do system:

• Use “Add to Tasks” (right-click menu on email) to send to Google Tasks
• Or use an integration (e.g. Briefmatic, Zapier) to:
  
  • Convert starred emails into tasks automatically - these tasks will appear in your todo list in Briefmatic - from there you can manage these items against all your other work.
  • Sync due dates and links back to the original email

📅 Step 3 — Time-Block Email Sessions

Avoid constant context-switching:

• Schedule 2–3 inbox sessions/day (e.g. 10am, 2pm, 4pm) 
• In each session:
  
  • Handle “Today” items
  • Move “Waiting” to the waiting list
  • Archive everything else

TIP - Sync your Calendar with Briefmatic so these sessions fit around all your other tasks.

🧘 Step 4 — Keep Noise Low

• Enable Priority Inbox so important messages rise to the top
• Snooze anything that doesn’t need attention now
• Unsubscribe from anything you haven’t opened in 30+ days

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Hopefully these simple tips can help you turn your inbox into a clear, action-oriented to-do hub instead of a cluttered mess.

Interested in getting more done in less time - check out Briefmatic - The easiest way to collect and complete all your tasks so you can get more done in less time.

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