[Repost] "Inbox Taming for Busy People"

[Note: this is a post by Chris Brogan. He's responsible for this content and was kind enough to make it available for reposting; the original is posted on his site. If you have any tips/insights of your own, leave a comment. But also, don't forget to visit Chris Brogan and thank him; he's a stand-up guy!]

I wanted to make it available here to you all (in case you're not already reading Chris' blog) because most of you have a lot of e-mails to sort through the day. And heck, even when the day is all said and done, how many of you still have a full Inbox? I would venture to guess many if not most of you... It's ok to admit it, I struggle with taming my Inbox every now and again too...

Anyway, if you ask me, Chris' system is a good system. But do what works for you. And if what you're doing isn't working, well, here's what Chris recommends...
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I’ve had my inbox at zero for over four weeks now ( Merlin Mann should be proud). I’ve learned that this helps my all around business processes, because to do this, I had to have a system to account for everything. The way I’ve managed it was a mix of David Allen’s Getting Things Done process, Stever Robbins’ You Are Not Your Inbox program, and simple figuring out what works and doesn’t work for me personally. I thought I’d share my process, in case it might be useful for you.

Basic Move: Have Three Addresses

I have three email addresses: one that I use for conducting general business, one for signing up for various web applications, and one for more important conversations. The first two, I don’t check all day long. I have a few scheduled dips in those boxes to see where things are, and to respond to inquiries. On one of those boxes, I used AwayFind to give people the sense that they can reach me if it’s urgent (so far, the only emails I get from the “urgent” form all say, “I just sent you email.” Grrrrrr!).

On the third email, that’s my business. And so I keep a little indicator light. I don’t read them immediately all the time and interrupt my flow, but I empty that box a few times a day.

Process Once I get Mail

I’ve noticed that I have a rapid flow. Here’s how it looks:

• Information only mail - absorb and delete.
• Information I need mail - copy a note into Evernote, which has web access and searching capabilities. Delete.
• Requests for help - analyze and respond. Delete (or store if I need a record).
• Mail from the boss - respond and store.
• “Generic” mail - automate variations on a response, and customize the important bits. Delete. Note: you probably never get the generics. I reserve them for blind PR pitches, weird software companies, etc.
• Scheduling and task request mail - right into Google Calendar. Tasks into a Google Docs spreadsheet. Web-accessible.
• To-do mail that’s bigger and long - copy/paste the request into Evernote, store the email address, save the mail.

If You Have 1000 Old Mails in the Box

Go through them 100 or so at a time with the above process. Don’t read the new ones. Just try working through 100 here and there. Schedule time on an egg-timer to take a whack at them. (If you want lots more advice on this area, check out You Are Not Your Inbox, which I really loved.)

I’ve kept my box clean for over four weeks, even when I’m out at conferences and on the road. It’s astounding just how this all works once you practice.

What about you? Any ideas and advice?

These posts are made for sharing. Feel free to repost all or portions of this (as long as it’s not for profit). If you do post it, please make sure you kindly link back to [chrisbrogan.com]  and give me credit. Thanks!

Note: I use Skitch to do screenshots. It’s cool.

Comments

[Cath Lawson]

Hi Ricardo - thanks for this advice. I get so much crap in my inbox it's unreal. And often I wind up deleting the important email by accident because they're surrounded by spam. Sometimes it gets me down to the point where I won't switch my email on for days. I'll try your way.

[meleah rebeccah]

Thanks CHRIS. Nice guest post!

I have a million email addresses, but they all go to the same management system. Anything in my INBOX is sort of like my to-do list!

[Barbara Swafford]

Hi Ricardo and Chris,

This is great advice. I have two addresses. One I check every day, the other gets checked a couple times a week. That has helped me to keep on top of most of my emails. The tips here are superb.

[Lance]

Good stuff here - thanks for sharing it! And, it's cool to "meet" another blogger out there. Now I have another site to check out!

[Urban Panther]

I use Outlook at home and at work. I make use of the automatically sending emails to folders. I have this down to a science at work, but I need to take the time to better set up my home account. I have just started using gmail, but I am not finding it intuitive. It seems to be all the rage, so I guess I need to spend some more time figuring it out.

The one feature that the Lion and I have started to use, and like, is google calendar. We can both put in our appointments and it gets combined on one calendar. Love it!

[Ricardo Bueno]

@Cath: Chris Brogan should get all the credit for this one. It's totally his method and I can see why/how it works :-)

You and I share a similar experience in that I "used" to avoid my e-mail Inbox for the dread it used to cause me. I've since however been on an Inbox Zero Campaign and so far, so good...

@Meleah: I'm with you on that one! My inbox "totally" serves as my To Do List... That's why I pray to keep it at zero which is better than the 1,000+ that I used to have several months ago :-)

@Barbara: I think having separate e-mail accounts for separate things is a good approach. I still link all of my e-mail accounts together through gmail but by having separate accounts I manage information better. This is especially the case when you're out there signing up for newsletters and separate social media accounts ya know?

@Lance: Chris Brogan is definitely a great guy and a great blogger. He knows his topic very well, "social media" and as such I follow him closely...

@Urban Panther: I use like gmail mostly for it's ability to store large files; it's storage is amazing and that makes it very functional for me. The other great thing about gmail is that you can store all of your rss feeds on there and that you can create shared documents much like you and the lion now do for your calendar. That makes it easy for your and various people to share a document, edit it for whatever purpose to arrive at a finished product. All in all, it's convenient!

[Robin]

Thanks for this Ricardo - will absorb duely!

[Ricardo Bueno]

@Robin: hiya! How are you?

Remember to thank Chris...his words. I do a good job of keeping my inbox numbers lower than I used to... Part of my daily "Inbox Zero" mission ya know. Anyway, Chris offers some good tips. And when you're managing multiple social networking accounts, having a separate e-mail for 'that' is a good thing.

[Irina Netchaev]

Ricardo, Love the post... love the concept... saw the video... find impossible. I need email anonymous.

[Ricardo Bueno]

@Irina: It can be sooo challenging can't it?!

I launched Project "Inbox Zero" about one month ago and so far so good. I'm in the 100's now as opposed to the few 1,000's... It's not quite zero but we're getting there :-P

[NaTuRaL]

good idea for using multiple emails. ihave like a zillion of them. i use folders for my inbox, most stuff i delete or unsubscribe to. one i check everyday, the others whenever.

[Ricardo Bueno]

@Natural: I have multiple e-mails too. I was all over the place but now I'm more organized. Project "Inbox Zero" was overall a success for me. I link all of my various emails to one account on gmail. I store those e-mails that I need but everything else I go ahead and delete. Gotta de-clutter ya know...

[DeBorah Beatty]

What a great idea - I'm going to have to try this. I have about 9 email addresses for 3 different businesses I manage and most of the time the stuff that comes through is either inviting me to a free seminar (so I can sign up with them later), offering me a free eBook (that I can get once I sign up for their monthly members only service or telling me I can enlarge my male part (great trick - I'm female). With that x9 it gets a bit overwhelming. Thank God for filters, but I like the part about the "take 100" emails and clean house.

Thanks!

[Ricardo Bueno]

@DeBorah Beatty: Wow! 9 email addresses huh? That sure can be a heck of a lot to keep up with, let alone everything else! And then there's the spam to weed through before actually reading the important stuff.

I have one email address that I have specifically for newsletters, seminar info. and the like. This way, it's all piled up in one need space. It makes it slightly easier to control ya know?

[Desarae]

I check my email daily, but taming the beast that is my email always seems like a never ending battle. Uphill also. Great post though and I love what you added.

Desarae

[Ricardo Bueno]

@Desarae: hey there. Nice to meet you! You know, for a lot of us, taming our email will be a never-ending battle! It's definitely one of those never-ending things... But I set a goal to try and approach inbox zero daily and so far, so good.