Email is either a colossal time waster or the key to productive correspondence. It used to waste my time and monopolize my day. Now my Inbox is empty 20 minutes after I get to work. Here’s what it looked like when I got to work today:

 

 

Here’s what it looked like 4 minutes later:

 

When you check voicemail, do you write down each message, prioritize them and then respond accordingly? Or do you listen to the first message, respond, listen to the second, respond, etc? If you organize and prioritize your phone correspondence, why don’t you organize your email correspondence?

I used to make the same mistake, email would “pinball” back and forth throughout the day, and I would get very little work done. (Note: Email is NOT work. Email is communication ABOUT work.)

Now, by reviewing my email, prioritizing each message and then responding, I do what needs to get done first, follow up on information I’m waiting for, and let any low priority items just sit and hopefully go away. (Note: In the 21st century, no response IS a response…)

 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Create five directories within your Inbox: Urgent, Action, Waiting For, Delegated, Later. (Gmail users can create labels as indicated in the screenshots above.)
2. First thing in the morning, review your Inbox. Glance over your new messages, but DO NOT RESPOND to any.
3. If you can get rid of something in 30 seconds, do it. If not…
4. Open each message, scan it, and decide which directory it will go in. (Urgent, Action, etc.)

• Is it behind schedule or a threat to a deadline? Put it in the Urgent folder.
• Is it a request for YOU to do something? Is the ball in your court? Put it in the Action folder.
• Is it related to information you require from someone else before you can move ahead? Put it in the Waiting For folder.
• Is it something you have delegated (and are therefore not involved in) — i.e. do you want to know when it’s complete, but do not want to be included in the process? Put it in the Delegated folder.
• Is it none of the above, but you may do it if you get around to it? Put it in the Later folder.

 

Now start at Urgent and deal with it. Next, ATTACK your Action folder. Lastly, review your Waiting For folder and send out “how’s it going?” reminders when necessary. Quickly scan Delegated and Later to see if there’s anything worth upgrading in priority.

You’ll find that most of your time will be spent in the Action and Waiting For folders, because these directly involve YOU. Emails in these folders either require you to act or require someone else to facilitate your future actions.

You’ll also probably find that your Urgent folder will get used less and less, because you’ll be focusing on Action and almost ignoring Delegated and Later, two things that — with a traditional, reactive approach to email — will eat up your precious time if you let them.

Using this method, my time spent emailing has been cut down to a quarter or less of what it used to be, my morning message list is usually sub-20 rather than over-50, and I get way more actual WORK done.

More info:

Thanks to Christian Rawles for introducing me to the idea.
Thanks to David Allen for writing Getting Things Done, which introduced Christian to the idea.
Also check out Inbox Zero at 43Folders. 

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