How to Avoid the Trap That Nails Stale Emails to Your Inbox

Special bait calls for special gloves. Touch incoming emails with these special gloves, one by one, and get a grip — a strong and happy grip on them.

Avoid the Trap That Nails Stale Emails to Your Inbox

To make sure no old messages pile in your email inbox:

• Pick dedicated times for email.
  • Twice a day will work for many, but it could also be every two hours or every two days, for example.
  • You may choose to deal with yesterday's mail only if you can.
• Go through your email strictly in the order it is presented.
  • Do not jump ahead (no matter how enticing any subject might read).
  • Do not re-order your inbox during the process.
• For each message (in order, remember; you are always only looking at the topmost email!):
  • Delete it, if you can.
  • Compose — but not necessarily send if the message has just arrived — a reply if you can do so on the spot. (Be brief.)
  • If the email requires actions:
    • Delegate if possible.
      (Do you notice patterns in your delegation? See if you can have the action-sparking message — and message-sparking commitment — go to the person that performs the action in a broader fashion.)
    • Schedule the action unless it's done fast and easily right away.
      Schedule composing your reply and whatever you have to do to be able to reply, too.
• Send the drafts you composed yesterday.

If you find you cannot make it through the daily influx of email reliably or that incoming emails do create too many tasks to tackle, let go of some messages or commitments whence the emails stem.

• email productivity
• life hacking
• getting things done
• time management
• delegating