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As an avid user of Gmail, I have explored the application from top to bottom and tested out almost all of the features and options in several different combinations.  One of my favorite Gmail concepts is their “labs” feature, which they describe as a “testing ground for experimental features that aren’t quite ready for primetime.”  To access labs features, click on your “settings” link in the upper right hand corner of your screen and select “labs” from the toolbar.

While many of the Gmail labs features are of no use to me, others I now consider staples of my overall email experience.  After putting these into practice, here are my top ten Gmail Labs features (in no particular order):

• Undo send — how many times have you clicked “send” on an email and instantly regretted the decision?  Whether your email was intended for a different person, you hastly sent harsh words, or you forgot to include information, the ability to “take back your email” is an amazing superpower!  Activate this feature and give yourself a grace period to undo the sending of your message
• Navbar drag and drop — Gmail combines several features on the left hand sidebar, all of which can take up space and push your most-used features further down the page.  By activating this lab feature, you can drag and drop the different widgets into your preferred order so your frequently used features are visible when your Gmail window is scrolled to the top
• Mail goggles — I love this one!  As a guilty “drunk emailer” (sending ill-advised emails which should never have been sent to my boss or crush while inebriated) you’d be wise to include this fun feature that may also save you in the future.  After enabling mail goggles, in the general settings tab you can specify which times of day or days of the week that you require some verification that you’re not too drunk or too tired to be shooting off emails.  Solve some simple math problems Gmail prompts you to complete, and the message is released for sending!
• Canned responses and Quick links– check out an earlier post about these features and how they can improve your productivity
• Offline — this labs feature allows you to access Gmail when you lack an internet connection.  This feature is perfect for travel days when you have a number of emails to respond to on the road.  Respond to messages already in your inbox while you’re in flight, and the next time you have an internet connection, send them out in a big batch
• Forgotten attachment detector — this labs feature has single-handedly improved my level of professionalism in terms of email.  I know I’m not alone when I confess to sending out dozens of emails describing documents that are “attached” and I completely forget to include the attachments!  This feature prompts you before the email is sent if you message mentions attaching a document and you’ve forgotten to include it.  Highly recommended.
• Multiple inboxes — I confess that I have dabbled with this feature and enabled and disabled it several times.  Multiple inboxes allows you to set up categories of emails in different groupings on your screen (particular labels, starred messages, etc).  I mention it because of its potential for versatility and organization of your overall Gmail landscape.  I opted not to use the feature because the screen size of my office computer makes the viewing difficult.
• Superstars — I discovered the Superstars feature before I discovered the world of Gmail labels and all they can do, and I still utilize the Superstars feature as part of my Gmail organization system.  By enabling this labs feature, you have access to multiple colored stars to mar your messages, as well as a checkmark, colored exclamation marks, and an information symbol, among others.  To choose which Superstars you want to activate, and to select the order you can scroll through them, go to the “general” tab in the settings section.
• Email addict — last, but not least, a feature that we all need, especially those of us prone to constant refreshing and living with the Gmail application as if it’s an appendage of our bodies.  This lab feature blocks your Gmail screen for 15 minutes, blocks your G-chat screen and makes you invisible.  Take a walk, run an errand, escape from your computer for 15 minutes.   Take a deep breath, you can do it!

Do you agree with this list?  Are there other Gmail lab features that should have been included or are there any in the list above you’ve had problems with or find counter-productive?

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