For all the increases in productivity computers brought mainstream society in the last thirty years, I think the there are two fundamental functions that stand out as the most game-changing:
- Cut/copy/paste
- Undo
These features are so common, so mundane, so boring, it’s easy to take them for granted. They are definitely the most pervasive and universal software features I can think of. Virtually all programs allow cut/copy/paste and undo whether you’re on a Mac, in Windows, or in Linux.
Both undo and cut/copy/paste are involuntary muscles in your workflows. They’re as basic as a heartbeat or a breath of air. They happen naturally without you having to think about them.
But if you do think about them for a moment, they are quite a powerful pair. And in many ways, they represented the first step away from the natural, physical world into virtual worlds.
It would be great if we had an undo button for “real life” – you know, that endearing term we assign to events occurring in the spaces between our screens. But we don’t. We also can’t clone and move physical objects with a click or tap of our finger.
So the introduction of cut/copy/paste and undo was, in many ways, remarkable. They represent true and lasting innovation.
I’m going to talk a little about how I use these taken-for-granted features in obvious and not-so-obvious ways (e.g. automating MultiMarkdown writing workflows).
But more importantly, I would like you to think about how you could better leverage these and other mundane aspects of your workflow to create new and powerful efficiencies.
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In my opinion, Google revolutionized email by bundling conversations in Gmail, and it looks like Google may be about the write the next chapter in email management with priority inbox.
I have been using a system that represents about 50% of the total solution priority inbox looks to provide.
The goal of my system is inbox zero, and my mobile devices are on the front lines in the battle to protect my inbox.
I triage probably 80% of my email with my phone and iPad. When I have a chance to check email, I rarely spend much time on the checking part.
Rather than trying to read everything, I scan. Then I star and archive anything that may need a closer look. Everything else either goes directly into archive or gets deleted on the spot.
When I get back to a full web browser, I open gmail, and all of my starred messages are sitting in a secondary inbox below my main inbox. This extra inbox is made possible by “multiple inboxes,” a feature you can activate by going to Settings > Labs.
I have my secondary inbox dedicated to showing starred archived email using the query “is:starred”.
This segregates “action required” email from unprocessed email in my inbox.
I’ve been using this system for over a year now with very little modification. It just works really well for me.
Priority inbox looks like it may supplant the need for multiple inboxes, which is fine by me.
That gray area between spam and stuff I want
Sorry if that heading made you throw up a little but, but I promise I’m not talking about food. Thank God.
I’m actually talking about the most promising feature in priority inbox: the ability for Gmail to let the cream of your messages rise to the top.
There are so many, many, many emails that I get weekly that aren’t really spam but are very low priority. Examples include store discounts/coupons, newsletters, and account statement alerts. I archive or delete most of these on the spot, but I can envision a more efficient system where these all go into a low priority pile and get reviewed on a less fequent basis.
Priority inbox will supposedly “learn” which emails are most important to you and put those at the top of your inbox. Lower priority emails will fall to the bottom.
The bigger picture
Time will tell how well priority inbox works and whether it can be trusted, but the concept is very appealing. I think it makes sense for Google to continue to refine something they already do really well: email.
I find it interesting that Google announced priority inbox right on the heels of announcing Google Wave’s certain death. Fact: Google Wave was never going to replace email. Email is just too rooted in the workflow psyches of the First World.
But email can get better through refinements and user-specific extensions. I think that’s what we’re seeing happen now. Email isn’t going away; it’s going to get smarter.
Are you using priority inbox already? What do you think about it?
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