ZEB – Zero E-mail Bounce

I am experimenting with zero e-mail bounce.

Initial results reveal something I already know: my inbox is very full (I have nearly 900 unread e-mails in my primary inbox…a fact my PocketPC device takes great delight in reminding me of every time I switch it on! I won’t tell you about the secondary inbox that’s kept on a different machine…it has e-mail going back 10 years…)

ZEB – it must work, Heather’s doing it, Scott’s doing it, Omar’s doing it, Dan’s doing it, Jonathan’s doing it.

Steps to create your ZEB Search Folder

From Outlook 2003, Click File New…Search Folder…
In the New Search Folder Dialog Box scroll down to the bottom and select “Create a Custom Search Folder”
Select Choose…
Give your Search folder a name like “Email ZEB” and select Criteria
Click the Advanced Tab and add the following
Field: Received, Condition: On or before, Criteria: “Two days ago” (or whatever you want your incoming threshold to be)
Field: Flag Color, Condition: Equals, Criteria: Red Flag
Field: Flag Color, Condition: Equals, Criteria: Yellow Flag
Click OK to save you’re Search Folder
Move the Search Folder to your Folder Favorites
Right click on the ZEB folder and select Properties…and select “Show Total Number of Items”]

ZEB History
30/01/2006: 1811 items in the ZEB folder
31/01/2006: 1612 (train ride to Aberdeen with the PocketPC)
01/02/2006: 797 (big push, big clear-out)
02/02/2006: 413 409 169
05/02/2006: 143
06/02/2006: 67
09/02/2006: 19
11/02/2006: 0 (now, let’s see if I can keep on top of things and keep it in single figures or at zero)

3 thoughts on “ZEB – Zero E-mail Bounce”

  1. Hi Craig,
    I felt your pain up until about a year ago (round about the time when Scott started mentioning ZEB) and then i discovered ClearContext (http://www.clearcontext.com/) – which immediately helped, and has continued to help with my classification and filing of emails – spam is clearly identified and I can easily find emails (filed by topic).

    It’s a great feeling of clarity when you achieve ZEB, finding a satisfaction in the knowledge that you have all the knowledge, conversation trails, and ‘back-side covering’ emails cleanly categorised and accessible (handy when you need to grab evidence quickly!)

    I also follow some of the Getting-Things-Done rules and the @CC folder for emails that I have been copied in on.

    All the best
    DC

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