ICYMI: How NOT to Miss It Next Time

Have you recently discovered you missed a due date, a payment or a fun event because it didn't come by text or social media messaging but by email instead? You're not alone. Of the over 4 billion people global email users, a little over half of them check it on a mobile device. But with about 300 billion emails sent and received each day, your inbox is understandably overwhelming.

You're getting emails from your parents, the VA, work, your child's school, and your academic institution. Not to mention the marketing promotions, spam emails and people who claim they want to give you money. And GGU has just given you another email account to check. But there are some ways to make this easier, but you'll still need to check it!

• You can forward your my.ggu.edu email to your personal email account.

• You can add it to your mobile device using the Microsoft Outlook/Office365 app or the Exchange/Office365 settings.

How do you spend time reading all those and determining which ones are important? Here are five tips to help you declutter your email and ensure you don't miss the important ones.

1. Create a second email account.

If you like to put your email in for discounts, giveaways or free downloads, use a secondary email account that you don't have to check all the time. A new account will free up your primary email for important things, reduce the number of emails you receive and make it less likely you miss the important ones.

2. Utilize the filters on your email.

About 60% of the world uses Apple for their email client, and another 25% uses Gmail. Both of these clients allow you to filter your email. Use filters for your Apple mail to only show you specific emails in your inbox. Gmail also allows you to set up tabs so that your primary inbox is only what you want to see. This is very helpful if you get a lot of promotional emails.

3. Set a time to check your email.

You don't have to be glued to your email to be successful. In fact, most successful people aren't. They turn off inbox notifications and push notifications on their phone and watches and only check email at designated times. Try this and see what times of the day work for you to check your email and if it helps you keep things more organized.

4. Add things to your calendar.

Add to your digital calendar as soon as you check your email and see a due date, payment date, or task. Make sure you remember by setting it a day before it's due. You can check your calendar each morning and prioritize your day based on due dates and available times.

5. Spend 15 min a week unsubscribing to things you don't need.

This one is often the hardest. Digital decluttering is often more overwhelming than decluttering your house. But you know from the stack of papers you went through last month that it's important. Set a timer for 15 minutes – or less if you need to start smaller – and unsubscribe to as many emails as possible. Unsubscribe if you haven't opened an email from that organization in the last two weeks.

Pro Tip: Make sure to add "dillercenter@mail-military.ggu.edu" to your contacts, so you never miss an important message from GGU Military!

If email overwhelms you, consider some other digital decluttering steps – and perhaps take a break from your phone. If you only use your computer to check your school email or primary account, you'll do it less frequently but more effectively.

Learn more about how GGU can help you succeed as a student and in your chosen career path.