Inbox Zero is a goal where you keep your email inbox empty or almost empty all the time. It means you handle every email once you read it. You don't let emails pile up. This helps you stay organized and stress-free.
Steps to achieve Inbox Zero
- Check Emails at Set Times
This is similar to "batching" the productivity technique. Only look at your emails a few times a day. Maybe in the morning, at lunch, and before you finish work. This stops you from checking emails all day and helps you focus on other work.
- Decide Quickly on Each Email
When you read an email, decide right away what to do with it. You can:
Delete it: If you don't need it, get rid of it. Do it: If it's a quick task, just do it now. Delegate it: If someone else should do it, send it to them. Delay it: If it needs more time, put it in a folder to do later.
- Use Folders and Labels
Create folders for different emails. You might have one for important emails, one for things to do later, and one for personal emails. This keeps your inbox clean and helps you know where everything is.
- Unsubscribe from Unwanted Emails
If you get emails you never read, unsubscribe from them. This means fewer emails coming in and less time spent achieving Inbox Zero.
- Use Tools to helps
There are a number of tools (both paid and free) for helping you achieve Inbox Zero. We will break down a few of these tools in a future post.
Why Try Inbox Zero?
Reaching Inbox Zero can make you feel less stressed. It keeps your email tidy, so you can find important messages fast. You won't miss important tasks, and you can focus better on your work.
How to Start
Start small. If trying Inbox Zero sounds hard, start with a small goal. Try to end one day with no emails in your inbox. See how it feels. If it helps, keep doing it!
Remember, Inbox Zero isn't about having zero emails all the time. It's about managing your email better so it doesn't overwhelm you. Give it a try and see how much calmer and more organized your days can be!
What if Inbox Zero is too much work?
It was for us too, that's why we invented Mail Sweeper and the dustpan to handle unimportant emails automatically. It won't get you to Inbox Zero, because we don't delete important emails. But it will get you to inbox close enough to zero.