Gmail offers a myriad of ways to manage your inbox, but if you have a contact who repeatedly abuses his or her email privileges, there used to be no way to keep that person from emailing you. Thankfully, Gmail finally introduced the ability to block emails from a specific sender. You can kiss those drunken "I want you back emails" from your ex goodbye, forever. (And if you're dealing with a harasser, stalker, or someone else scary trying to contact you, you'll finally be able to check email in peace — just be sure to report that person first, if he or she has violated Gmail's program policies.)
Blocking a sender is incredibly easy. Just open a message from the person in question, hit the "down" arrow in the upper right, and then tap "Block John Doe" or whoever. The future email efforts will head straight to your spam folder, so you don't have to deal. If, in the future, you decide to give that person a second chance, you can un-block him or her in your Gmail Settings.
The feature is rolling out on the web and on Android this week, and just in time. Our Gmail is in dire need of another inbox-zero overhaul, and the fewer unwanted emails coming in each day, the better — for our inbox and our emotional health.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT