I’m a big fan of Merlin Mann and his quest for apps, tricks, and tips that help people to become more productive in work – and in life in general.

And I loved his recent post on Apple’s Mail.app and the use of Smart Mailboxes. I’ve always known that smart mailboxes existed in Mail.app, but I’ve never taken the time to explore the possibilities of using them.

I guess my biggest problem is that I can’t see my problems clear enough to find a solution. For example, I often run into the problem where I’m trying to find an email that I read just the other day, but can’t seem to find it anywhere. But instead of thinking of Smart Folders like Merlin did, I usually just spend more time looking. Put another way, sometimes I find myself working harder and not necessarily smarter.

In any case, if you use Apple’s Mail application, you should read Merlin’s article on smart folders and consider setting up the a few he suggests, or try and create your own that help you work smarter.