📧Get Free: Make DELETE your BFF

Dear GFFs, 

How are you doing? I know that’s a complicated question right now, but we have to continue to ask how we’re doing and be real about the feelings. Take a deep breath, and let’s spend some time together, OK? (Release the breath - you have to breathe!)

First up, y’all had some THOUGHTS about texting vs. talking (here’s the post if you need to catch up.) Seems we’re Team Text (WhatsApp, DMs, iMessage, Slack, Teams) up in here, up in here. Literally anything to avoid talking to people - at work, at home, while dating - all of it. I am SHOOK!

What is happening? Why is text the way to go? You can leave a message here (see, you don’t have to talk, lol!) and I’ll share in a later post. As for my task last week, I haven’t written my letter … yet. I’ll let you know how that goes next time. Any letter writers in the house? Let’s hear from you! Why do you like to send letters? Get your friends into the convo - follow The Get Free Guide on IG, or share a link to this newsletter so folks can get their own guide on a Friday. Don’t gatekeep!

INBOX DREAD IS REAL

So here’s what we’re tackling this week. I know this is a space of levity and community as we all figure out how to get free, but can we get real for a minute?

Take 20 seconds to click out of this newsletter and check the number of unread messages in your inbox (all of them - don’t pretend.) I’ll wait…

This is a no judgment zone, so I’ll go first.

In my primary home email (aka, the family and friends account), I have 6,216 unread messages. In my two other Gmail accounts (random subscriptions and one level up from junk mail) I have around 1000 unread emails. My business account has 1400 unread emails, and (AND?!) until recently my day job inbox had over 15,000 unread messages. Some quick math, that's around 24,000 emails. TWENTY. FOUR. THOUSAND. Ooooooooo, chile…

So, what’s your number? I told you, no judgment because, to quote brother Michael Jackson, “You are not aloonnnnnne. I am here with youuuu....” But also: WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH ALL OF THIS EMAIL?

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

On the one hand, it’s just electronic mail, not taking up physical space, so we don’t have to “deal” with it, right? But on the other, if each message were a physical letter we’d be in an episode of Hoarders buried under our own paper with folks trying to set us free. It’s TEW much. 

And let’s not kid ourselves, because we’re smart people: Electronic waste DOES take up space. Psychological space. Brain space. I-ain’t-got-time space. Digital space we have to pay for, like storage. How do you feel when you open up your inbox and see those unread messages? I know I just feel…not good.

HOW TO UNTETHER FROM THE UNREAD

So how do we get free from this e-clutter? Here’s how I got started:

One evening I was looking at my day job email (the one with 15000 unread messages) and started to sort into messages I need to keep (HR stuff, useful contacts, contracts, awards info, people saying nice things about my team - those things.) 

I then realized that A LOT of my messages are “noise” - calendar reminders, expense report approvals, emails I’m cc’d on (for no good reason) with folks replying to EVERYONE on the chain (stop that, y’all. Stop it.) Just general email traffic with zero purpose. I’m trying to figure out how to auto delete these, or route to a folder I can just delete on a weekly basis. 

Then I went into my “Other” folder and deleted everything in there (this is in Outlook. In Gmail check the Promotions, Social and Updates tabs.)

Then I went to my “Focused” inbox and filtered all of the unreads and deleted all of those.

Then I cleared my junk folder

And before I knew it, I was at ZERO unread messages.

When I tell you the FREEDOM of doing this was incredible. It was such an event I sent messages to three friends along with screenshots. It was like the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square counting down from 15000 to zip.

The upside now? I can start the day with a clean slate, a fresh perspective, not bogged down wondering if there is anything in my inbox that I should read, or should be doing. It all went to the delete box in the sky (or cloud, or wherever.) 

If you’d like to do the same, remember:

• Find a quiet hour (or two!) and open your inbox. Start with the largest one first

• Filter messages so you can see the unreads

• If you’re hardcore, pour a drink, select ALL, hit delete and watch all your unread messages disappear

• If there’s something in there you might need, filter your unread messages, look for names that appear often (for example an email you subscribe to but don’t read) and then add that name to the search. Hit all, then delete. Repeat for another name.

• If you have a bunch of subscriptions you don’t read, unsubscribe before deleting so you don’t have to see them again

• Set up folders for regular emails - like bills, for example

• Once a week, clear out messages that no longer serve you

Now, I still have to tackle my home emails, but starting with the big inbox lets me know dealing with the others will be a breeze. When we’re trying to get free, it’s not just the big things, it’s the small stuff, too. A bunch of small adds up to a whole lot of much. Don’t let the little hold you down. Go tackle one of those inboxes today and share with a friend (let me know how many message you deleted - we’ll start a Get Free Fam tally!) 

We’ve got this. #inboxfreedom

🚀Get Your Life: Things to read, listen to, enjoy🚀

📚What I’m reading: A reminder about the fragility and urgency of life in a blog post by journalist Andrew Nachison. Cancer is a cruel thief, but Andrew offers another perspective. Take a moment to read Goodbye World.

🎧What’s on the pod: This came out a while ago but finally listened to Jay Shetty’s interview with Lizzo. She’s a real one!

🎵 Soundtrack for the week: A thanks to Nicole for her recommendation: Soft Girl Era by Ari Lennox is perfect for the start of summer!

✨ Be like Nicole! If you’ve got a recommendation drop me a line. ✨

THANKS FOR READING!

If you got something out of this issue of The Get Free Guide, give us a follow or a shout out on Instagram and share the love with a friend. We don’t gatekeep around here! Also looking to share your GET FREE stories in future issues - hit us up!

See you next Friday!