Alright — imagine this with me.

It’s afternoon.
I’ve got my tea.
And I’m having one of those how did I not know this sooner moments.

Because for the longest time, I genuinely did not understand the difference between delete and archive inside Google Workspace.

And once it clicked?
My inbox (and honestly my brain) has never been the same.

So today, this is a low-pressure tea-time conversation about Gmail, archiving, and how I finally stopped treating my inbox like a storage unit full of stress.

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How I think about my inbox now (this is key)

I treat my inbox like a to-do list.

If something is in my main inbox, it means:
👉 there’s an action required from me.

That’s it.

Newsletters?
Promotions?
Things I want to read eventually?

Those do not belong in my action list — so they don’t belong in my priority inbox.

That’s why I love Gmail’s tabbed inbox:

• Primary
• Promotions
• Social

It automatically filters things for me, and I reinforce it by dragging emails where I want them to live. Gmail even asks, “Do you want to do this every time?” which is honestly such a gift.

This is how I protect inbox zero without forcing myself to unsubscribe from everything I enjoy 🤍

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The big realization: archive ≠ delete

Here’s the moment everything clicked.

Archiving does not delete your email.
It simply removes the Inbox label.

That’s it.

The email still exists:

• In All Mail
• Under any labels attached to it
• Fully searchable forever

Once I understood that, I stopped being afraid of the archive button.

Archive = “I’m done with this for now.”
Delete = “I never want to see this again.”

Very different energy.

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How labels + archiving work together (the magic combo)

Here’s what I used to do:

• Finish an email
• Click “Move”
• Manually move it into a client label

It worked… but it was clunky — especially on my phone.

Now? I do this instead.

Step 1: Auto-label client emails

When a client emails me, Gmail automatically applies their label.

I do this by:

• Clicking the three dots on an email
• Choosing Filter messages like this
• Filtering by their email address
• Applying their client label

From that moment on, every email from that client is labeled automatically.

Step 2: Archive when I’m done

When I finish the task tied to that email, I archive it.

Because the label is already applied:

• The email leaves my inbox
• But still lives neatly under that client label

No moving. No extra clicks. No mental load.

This tiny shift has saved me so much time.

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Where Zapier fits into my inbox flow

When a new client books with me, I have an automation using Zapier that:

• Creates a new Gmail label for that client
• Sets me up to file emails correctly from day one

That automation alone saves me so much “okay what do I do next?” brain space.

If you want that Zapier automation, you can grab it here:
👉 https://smartercreative.myflodesk.com/

It’s one of those systems that quietly supports you in the background — my favorite kind.

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Why this works (especially for creative brains)

A cluttered inbox makes everything feel urgent.

When I open Gmail and see:

• 47 unread emails
• All demanding attention
• All mixed together

My brain shuts down. I avoid it. I procrastinate.

But when my inbox only shows actual action items?
I respond faster.
I feel calmer.
I stay on top of things.

Archiving lets me:

• Clear visual noise
• Keep records
• Stay organized without losing anything

It’s the best of both worlds.

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This doesn’t have to be your system

Inbox zero might not be your goal — and that’s okay.

You get to choose:

• How you organize
• How you track tasks
• What “clean” feels like for your brain

This just happens to be what works for me.

If you want a deeper look at email organization for creative businesses, I shared more here:
👉 4 Simple Inbox Systems to Reduce Email Stress as a Creative Business Owner

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Final tea-time thoughts

If archiving has ever scared you because it felt like emails were disappearing into the void — I promise, they’re not.

They’re just stepping out of your way.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what your inbox (and your nervous system) needs.

With systems and a touch of magic on your side,
Lauren ✨