The most effective tool I?€™ve ever come up with for managing my e-mail is at the same time the simplest thing I?€™ve ever done.

I added a random code to my signature block, i.e. 9527417171, and then created a rule in my e-mail that test all incoming message for that code, if the code is present, the e-mail is filtered to a special inbox.

I went even a step further. In some places where my e-mail address is posted on the net I?€™ve added code to place a subject line containing that number. If anyone should send me an e-mail by clicking the e-mail link that number will be placed in the subject of their e-mail.? I?€™ve even used it in my contact forms.

The advantage to this is my spam filter does not get a chance to incorrectly filter a message containing that code. It also pulls the important messages out of the inbox from all of the other e-mails that I want to read, but are not as important.