Prioritizing Outlook Email with Colors

Reading Scott Lowe's blog post titled Reducing the Friction: Processing Email... Like many of you, I have found increasing value in efficiency because it fosters work-life balance. I do everything possible to remain focused and efficient during the day so that I can leave work at work. This is especially true because I remain involved in teaching, speaking, and writing outside of work as well. Automatically coloring email according to where my name is addressed helps me with processing email.

• 1st Priority: BLUE – To: You (Email sent directly to you with nobody else on the To: line) Somebody likely expects you to respond…
• 2nd Priority: TEAL – To: You, Others (Email sent directly to you with other people on the To: line) Somebody wants you to know, possibly respond…
• 3rd Priority: MAROON – Cc: You (Email copied to you) Somebody wants you to keep you informed, possibly comment..

Here’s how to do this:

1. Add conditional formatting rules:
   From the inbox, right-click From | click view settings | conditional formatting
2. Add the rules:
   Add | choose name | click font | change color | select OK | choose Condition | select checkbox Where I am: | choose appropriate drop-down selection | select OK | add more conditions as needed…