Definition
💡 An Inbox Zero Method is a technique for reaching zero emails in your inbox by replying to, moving, snoozing, deleting, or forwarding messages.
This theory of inbox management is that if you achieve an empty inbox (zero emails), you’ll feel productive and have more time to work on other tasks.
Example
Some email users set up time blocks once or twice per day to manage their messages while others prefer to act on emails as they arrive. The premise is that at the end of the workday, you’ll have handled all emails you received.What is the Zero Inbox rule?
A basic rule for achieving inbox zero is to triage incoming emails. For each message you receive, perform one of the following:
- Do: Act on the message by replying immediately, especially if it only takes a few minutes.
- Delegate: Forward the email to an employee, coworker, or team member to handle.
- Defer: Delay acting on the message until you have more time.
- Delete: Remove unnecessary or unwanted emails by deleting them.
What does Zero Inbox look like?
If you have zero emails in your inbox, or at least zero unread messages, you have achieved inbox zero.
How to get to a Zero Inbox
Along with the basic Zero Inbox rule above, there are a variety of additional strategies for getting to inbox zero. These include unsubscribing from marketing messages, marking spam, using email templates for replies, creating automated rules, and more.
These types of approaches help clean out your mailbox and get you one step closer to an empty inbox.
