I’ve recently set up a mailing list as a simple way to keep readers informed on new releases. Putting it together, I started thinking about how I deal with newsletters, marketing emails, and spam on the receiving end.

I use Gmail, and it does a fine job of sorting out spam by its definition, but my definition is far broader, and I want that junk gone, too. The company that just bought my address from a third party? Banished. The flood of marketing emails I got from buying a single shirt from a new store? Trashed. I hate it all, and I bet some of you do, too.

With that in mind, I thought I’d share my method, simple as it is, in case you like spam as much as I do. Which is to say, like a splinter under a fingernail.

Be Ruthless in Unsubscribing

This first pointer is the most effective, and I use it daily. Look at every email you receive and ask yourself, “Is this adding value to my life?” What value means is up to you to decide, but if the email isn’t adding it, hit that unsubscribe button at the bottom. Your life is far too important, your time far too valuable, to waste staring at your inbox.

Filter the Rest

Next, I create a filter for the rest. Every email service I’ve ever used allows you to create filters or rules dictating how to handle incoming mail. This isn’t a productivity tutorial kind of site, so if you’re using Gmail, you can get the steps here. Otherwise, just search whatever email service you use and the keyword “filter” and you’ll find a tutorial I’m sure. (Of course, I don’t want to leave you hanging, so if you’re still stuck after the tutorial, hit me up at justin@justinwilliams.com and I’ll help you out.)

When you create your filter, set it up to grab any email that includes the word “unsubscribe” anywhere within. That’s how you get ’em. I’ve used this feature to set up a rule that sends those emails to a special folder, which I’ve labeled with the incredibly clever name: Filtered.

This pulls all my newsletters and sets them aside to read at my convenience. It also grabs all those miscellaneous emails I mentioned before, and about 99% of the ones I can’t even think of to list out right now. It keeps my inbox nice and clear of junk, allowing me to address it when I’m ready.

If I Haven’t Chased You Off…

Now, with all that said, if you want to sign up for that email list I mentioned and get the pretty good and very free short story I’ve attached as an incentive, you can do it here. I won’t spam you. I hate spam, probably more than you do, and I’ll be damned if I end up on the sending side. If you want, use that filter I described above to keep me out of your inbox. Or, if my story doesn’t earn me a place in your reading life, smash that unsubscribe button.

You are far too valuable to waste your time in a junk-filled inbox.

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Header photo by Pau Casals on Unsplash