by Julianne Mercer, Negosentro.com |
Do you know the feeling of having thousands of unread emails in your inbox, ninety-nine percent of which are never going to be opened? Even if you manage to delete the odd email here and there, it is a daunting task to sift through your inbox and make sure you are not deleting anything important. What makes it even worse is knowing that you will be right back where you started in no time at all. The problem of growing emails in your inbox seems to never end. They increase by what seems like the hour, making you wonder if it wouldn’t just be easier to delete your account and start a new one with another provider.
Why You Can’t Just Delete Your Account
Although you could delete the entire thing in theory, there is something you should consider before you make a decision you are going to regret. If this is your main email account, it is associated with everything you use on a regular basis, including PayPal, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Chase, EBay, Amazon, and many other things. If you do make the choice to begin again, you will have to change your information with all of these companies, which can take days. It is very possible that this email address is also the one which is associated with your professional business. Regardless of how diligent you are in sending out change of email notifications, several people will never see it.
Getting Rid of the Problem Effectively
Are you tired of unwanted emails and spam? Start by following the tips listed below and fight back!
Each of us has been there; trapped in a virtual vortex of spam newsletters we never agreed to receive. Checking our inbox each day is just an exercise in futility, and looking for emails you actually want to open is a total waste of time. Since your inbox will quickly fill back up again, you will still want to get to these tips as soon as you can in order to stop all of the spam from returning. Now it is time to learn how to fight back.
A Deep-Cleaning of Your Inbox: If you are sure that there is nothing important in your inbox, go ahead and use the mass delete feature if you have one.
The “Unsubscribe” Option: The best way to get this started is to arrange your inbox by sender. This will help you to identify who is sending you all of the junk you never want to see again. Instead of simply deleting them in large groups, you need to open one first. Take the time to scroll down to the bottom of the email and click on the “unsubscribe” link. Once you have successfully unsubscribed from this sender’s list, then you can feel free to delete everything which has come from them.
The “Unsubscribe” Email Option: In 2003, the President Bush administration passed the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (CAN-SPAM). According to this law, any email sent for commercial purposes must have a feature which allows the receiver to unsubscribe. Even though this law has been in effect for more than a dozen years, you may not be surprised to learn that it is still common for unwanted emails to have no type of opt-out, reject, cancel, or unsubscribe option. If you find this to be the case with some of the unwanted emails you are receiving, there is something you can do; send the originator an email of your own – one which looks similar to the following example: Please remove (insert your email address here) from your email list. Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter! Be sure not sound angry or use rude language. It only needs to be written so it is directly to the point. In many cases you will actually get a response from the sender confirming that they have indeed removed you. Now, there is another strain of unwanted email that will be disappearing in short order! Keep repeating this process and the one above until there is no longer spam entering your inbox.
Install Anti-Spam and Anti-Virus Software: Most email providers offer some type of anti-spam filters, but if they were working you would not be reading this. There are many different types of software you can download that will not only keep the majority of spam out of your inbox, but you will also get virus protection as well. There are various free downloads available if you are unable to afford the paid versions, so take some time to read up on what you will need. If you are looking for a superior product, consider looking into spam filtering software from Mailcleaner.
Create Folders: Having folders is a great way to keep your inbox clean; even when you do not have the time to read them before you switch them over. Create folders which are a good representation of the types of email you get, such as shopping, friends, family, work, finances, etc. There is no rush to read them once they have been moved if you are pressed for time, and your inbox will stay clean at all times.
Keep it Clean: Once you have gotten to the point where you are no longer getting any unsolicited emails, you need to keep up with your inbox. Every once in a while you may get something from a new sender whose emails you do not wish to receive, so deal with it right away. When it is possible, try to check your inbox folder several times per day. If you stay on top of what you are receiving, then the problem will not spiral out of control again.
If, despite your best efforts the number of incoming emails begins to climb again, simply go through the tips above until you once again have an inbox you can look forward to opening every day.
