Search is a Speedmailer’s best friend. If you ever waste time slogging through pages of old emails looking for a piece of information or the details of an agreement, you need to get (better) acquainted with your email client’s search function. It will soon be your best friend.

Your email client’s excellent ability to search (its built-in Google functionality, so to speak) is why we can get away with using such a simple, streamlined speed filing structure. You can easily find any email, as long as you know what you are looking for.

Here’s how to maximise the power of your searches.

Kick-off your search with Ctrl+E (or Ctrl+F)

Even your searching can be speedy with the right shortcuts, and it’s a good way to get in the habit of using keyboard shortcuts in general. Also, in programs like Outlook, where the search bar appears in different spots on different screens, Ctrl+E (Outlook) or Ctrl+F (most other programs) saves you time tracking it down.

You can also use the search tool in your Calendar or Contacts. Again, just type Ctrl+E or Ctrl+F and the name of the appointment or person you are seeking (or the location or anything else you remember about the meeting or contact) and you will receive a shortlist of all meeting/contacts that contain that word.

<aside> 💡 Pro-tip! Mobile phones often only synchronize emails for a selected period, like a week. Check the settings of your email account to see if you can increase it to a month. This will improve the chance of finding emails quickly on your mobile.

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