Tips & tricks

Color categories: an email's status at a glance

A category like “Waiting on reply” or “Client A” colors emails across folders — and you find them with one click.

The two-minute rule for your inbox

Anything that takes less than two minutes, do right when you read it. Longer things go to your task list — and archive the email.

Email three times a day in blocks, not sixty times in drips

Constantly checking your inbox shreds your focus into pieces. Three fixed blocks a day are enough for 95% of jobs.

Delayed delivery in Outlook

Even in Outlook, an email can wait until Monday morning. The new version has Schedule Send right next to the Send button.

Essential Outlook shortcuts: reply, send, switch modules

Ctrl+R

Ctrl+R replies, Ctrl+Enter sends, Ctrl+1/2/3 switches between mail, calendar, and people.

Quick Steps in Outlook: three actions in one click

A Quick Step can move a message, mark it read, and forward it all at once. Turn a repeated sequence into a single button.

Outlook rules: let your inbox sort itself

Automatic rules move system notifications, reports, and CCs into folders — your inbox stays reserved for messages that actually need you.

Drag an email onto your calendar and it becomes a meeting

In Outlook, drag a message onto the calendar icon — it creates an event with the email's text inside. No more retyping.