How to avoid juggling multiple email addresses

Nowadays, we receive messages through various channels, which can make us feel scattered. Where should we look for new messages? When and how often? And, how can we be sure that we haven’t missed anything somewhere? It gets even worse if we have several different email addresses that we use or are responsible for.

For you who prefer listening to reading, this post is also available as an episode of the ""Done!"" podcast:

Look here and there, but when?!

A reader recently told me that she has four different email addresses, and keeping track of them all is a hassle. She asked me how she can make it more well-structured and easier.

Consolidate

There are many structure details to try, but a first, low-hanging fruit step is to gather all incoming emails from all accounts into one view. This means you choose which email app you want to use, add all your accounts to it, and see all your inboxes in one place, side by side. I do this with my four email addresses, and it works perfectly.

A raised warning finger!

But wait! Stop! Before you try this, ask your IT department for permission. Connecting accounts, apps, and services is a sensitive operation, and the person responsible for IT security may see risks that neither you nor I are aware of.

That said, if you get the green light, this simple consolidation of email flow will quickly bring you relief and a bit more peace of mind (and peace of work, too, for that matter).

Do this

First, decide which app you want to use to see all your emails. Choose the one that is most accessible to you.
Then, add your accounts to it. How? It depends on which app you choose. Here are instructions for three common ones:
Familiarize yourself with your new overview. See if you want to see emails from all accounts at once or prefer to look at one account at a time, but easily in one place without switching apps.

Less scattered, more calm focus

If you combine your email flows into one view, you won’t have to switch between different apps, computers, and logins constantly. With a quick glance when it suits you, you can see if there’s anything you need to handle or if you are free to focus on your top priority task right now.

You have one less place to monitor. Email management becomes a bit easier.

How do you do it?

You who cannot add multiple (external) accounts to Outlook, for example, but still have several addresses to manage, how do you do it in a structured way? Tell me about it! I’m curious to hear about your clever trick.

(Need more hacks for working with your emails? Have a look at how to find the right email quickly!)

Want to know more?

A dark-haired girl sits at a desk, holding her smartphone in her right hand. Above the phone, an email icon hangs.

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