How to manage email effectively

In the hustle of owning a small business, our email inboxes typically introduce chaos to our day. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, and if you're nodding along, you're not alone. But what if there was a better way to manage your email inbox effectively?

The email conundrum

Here's a familiar story. You start your day with a cup of coffee, ready to tackle important tasks. But as soon as you open your email, you're bombarded with a flood of messages demanding attention. Some need an urgent response; others are important but not time-sensitive, and then there are those that could be safely ignored.

How do you manage email effectively?

The traditional approach involves sifting through this daily deluge, responding as best as you can, and hoping nothing critical slips through the cracks. The result? Stress, missed opportunities, and a nagging feeling that your inbox is managing you, not the other way around.

Recognizing the need for change

Now, let me introduce a different scenario. A scenario where email is confidently managed in 15-30 minutes daily, giving you back time to manage your actual work.

The daily practice of inbox 0

Every time you jump in your inbox, you shouldn't leave until it's 0. This means every email is read, and responded to if needed, time is set aside later to work on what's required, and it's archived. That's an important word, archived. It doesn't mean you select all and delete, it just means the emails are no longer in your inbox. You can still access them whenever you need to by using the search function in your provider.

To get to inbox 0, I use this process;

1. Select all emails

2. Top to bottom breeze through all subject lines and senders once. Unselect anything from someone you recognize, or that seems of interest.

3. Archive everything else

4. Work through the list of what remains, bringing yourself up to speed on the next steps.

5. If you can take care of the task in 1-2 minutes, great. Take care of it, respond, and archive.

6. If the task takes longer than 2 minutes, no problem. Set some time aside later in the day (or week if not urgent) to take care of it. I put these tasks in my task management app. Move these emails to a folder called Pending.

That's really it for getting to inbox 0. Now with your inbox clear, you can start working on important tasks.

The benefits of managing email effectively

1. Reduced Stress: Imagine starting your workday with a sense of calm, knowing your inbox holds only what truly requires your attention.

2. Enhanced Productivity: By prioritizing and categorizing emails, you reclaim valuable time and mental energy.

3. Improved Focus: Freed from the constant ping of incoming emails, you can immerse yourself in meaningful, focused work.

4. Reduced Overwhelm: An organized inbox means you can confidently tackle each email, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

The goal of monitoring the email inbox is that each day, the inbox is empty at the end of the working day. Email is an important notification system, however, it’s also a distraction that should be used when needed. This simple process allows us to quickly clear the inbox while ensuring everything important is noted.

Need help figuring out how to manage email effectively? Get in touch with us.