Productivity - Using keyboard shortcuts to organize Outlook inbox

I don't like mails. But I also don't like to wait on queues, but we all have to, sometimes. What can we do about both cases? Understand how the sytem works as much as possible to optimise your time on it.

After Grouping your mailbox by conversations, the next step is to save time when assigning them to specific folders or people. It can usually be done manually, but after moving 30 mails to the same mailbox and forwarding mails to the same person with a message like "could you please take care of this one?", you can think about using specific shortcuts for this.

To setup these shortcuts, you first need to identify the main routine actions you do. Outlook 2013 offers up to 9 shortcuts (CTRL+SHIFT+ any number 1 to 9), but I'd suggest to start using one or two to get used to it. You can then set further shortcuts once you're comfortable with the previous ones.

Ok, let's assume you need a rule to move move mails to a folder named "look later", which will be assign to the shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+1.

To start editing your rules, expand the "Quick Steps" menu by clicking on the lower-right icon highlighted below:

Then, you'll see all the rules you have currently activated. You can either create a new one or edit the current existing rules.

Click on the "New" to create a new rule. You'll see a few options you can explore based on your needs. For the example we want to cover, select "Move to Folder".

Set a rule name, select the folder you want the messages to be moved to, and check to mark the messages as "read" once moved, which is helpful if you're not marking them as read automatically.

Now, click in "Options" and then further configuration is available. In the lower part, you can see the optional "Shortcut Key". Assign a shortcut and save.

Click Save.

Now, when you click the shortcut selected, the rule defined will be applied to mail(s) highlighted.

Any experience on setting up more complex rules that you'd like to share?