We've all been there, anxiously waiting for that one important email, maybe a job application response or a project approval. Finally, the email arrives, and you click it open, only to find yourself reading halfway through before realizing it's a rejection.
To save myself from the suspense and brace for potential bad news, I created a simple email filter that labels any incoming message containing the word "unfortunately". This way, I can mentally prepare before even opening it.
This small hack gives me a heads-up on the tone of the email right from the inbox. However, a quick note: be cautious when relying on these filters. There may be false positives, not every "unfortunately" means rejection, and sometimes it could just be part of a less critical message.
The best part is, you can tweak this technique for positive outcomes as well. For example, you could create a filter for words like "congratulations", giving you an instant mood boost when good news comes in!
Give it a try and let me know if it works for you!