Live with an empty inbox

A printable one-page cheat sheet.

Think of it like postal mail

You wouldn't pile junk mail on the counter. You'd go through it. Email's the same — process it, don't store it. And with email you can do something you can't do easily with physical junk mail: unsubscribe! Stop it at the source.

New Daily Habit Goal: One unsubscribe per day — pick any company or brand to unsubscribe from.

New Weekly Habit Goal: One 30-minute block per week to triage your inbox.

Inbox Zero Cheat Sheet

For each message

Is this from a bulk email list?

YES: Unsubscribe. You can always re-subscribe later if it's important.
NO: Next question.

Can I handle this in 2 minutes or less right now?

YES: Do it now. Then delete the email.
NO: Next question.

Do I need to respond to this?

YES: Reply now (or forward to the right person, then delete).
NO: Next question.

Am I going to read this in the next day or two?

YES: Read it now. Then delete it.
NO: Next question.

Does this belong on my calendar?

YES: It may already be on your calendar from the invite. If not, accept or add it. Then delete the email.
NO: Next question.

Is this info that I will actually need in the future?

YES: Move to the right folder (e.g. "Taxes").
NO: Next question.

Is this a to-do list item?

YES: Add to your to-do list now. Then delete the email.
NO: Delete.

Email security checklist

A few questions to slow down before clicking.

  • What action is the email asking me to do?
  • Do I know who the sender is?
  • Is my gut sensing something off about this?
  • Do I feel a sense of urgency or a need to act quickly?

If your answers here add up to something feeling off, don't click links or unsubscribe; delete or mark as spam (preferable).

Clear the pile and keep it that way. You'll feel the difference.

More on this: What problem are we trying to solve? (blog), and inbox overwhelm support (services).

Want help getting there?

Want a custom plan and someone to work through it with you? Get in touch.

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