E-mail is a fantastic thing that has been around for quite some years now (long before Internet was a thing). In the begining it revolutionized communication and helped millions to be more productive. You could connect almost instantly around the world and time zones was not a problem anymore for global companies.

The Runaway Inbox

It is a pretty picture isn’t it. But you and I know that it’s not always so. All of the sudden the trickle of e-mails become a flood and an orderly inbox explodes and now you have +200 unread e-mails and the keep coming. Then you start receiving e-mails that say something like “Did you get my last e-mail?”. Now e-mail has gone from something useful to a source of angst and stress.

I, as many of you, get lots of e-mails every day. I use it for work, communication, to keep myself updated with what going on in our plant and the company as a whole. But e-mail is just a tool. There are tricks and practice in using any tool to make it work for you.

This is my way of working and it works well and I hope you can take something from it.

Inbox Zero

The base of my method is something called Inbox Zero where the goal is to adress E-mails immediately and thus never build a backlog in the inbox. However i find this hard to maintain since I am not 100% deskbound. I spend alot of time away from my computer and sometimes it piles up anyways.

My adaption is more like Inbox ToDo. Anything that can be handled directly I do. Informative e-mails that may be needed later are sorted into appropriate folders. I don’t use automated filtered sort so that I am actively deciding what to save and what to discard. Anything still in the inbox represent a task to be done.

Benefits of the Method

Beside giving me focus on what is to be done there are other benefits as well. Many have commented that I am quick to respond and appreciate this. Many questions you get only require a short answer and by responding promptly you let the sender get on with their work without delay. A win for both parts.

I am not always able to respond immediately but I always get to it eventually since it is there waiting in the inbox. This in my opinion is a matter of respect for your colleagues.

This is the short version on a way I have found to be quite effective. I hope you can take something from or maybe find your own way to make it work for you.