Inbox zero is like a moment of celebration for us! An uncluttered inbox leads to an uncluttered office. If you need to find a specific email in such a mess, it’ll be like finding a needle in an ocean. Inbox zero was developed in 2004 by the famous productivity expert Merlin Mann. According to Mann, he proposed a few tips for email management and to know how to get to inbox zero, which we will discuss soon in the article below- delete, do, defer, delegate.
How to get to Inbox Zero in no time?
Firstly, it is possible to declutter your inbox and head both, and that is relatively easier than you think. You need to involve a few practices in your daily email habits and don’t hinder your progress due to a lack of mailbox management. Here are a few excellent tips for email management that will make you a pro at managing emails and know how to get to inbox zero both mentally and digitally.
Merlin’s propositions
1. Do it now:
If you get an email that you can quickly with a few clicks and in a few seconds then, go for it. Don’t procrastinate! If you want to clean your slate there itself, then remove and reduce it at the very moment you find it.
Respond to it if you can in just 2 minutes, as this is a beneficial time management technique, and it will save you from further overthinking. You keep it, you think of it, so it’s better to send it away.
2. Pass on to others:
Don’t hesitate! If you think that another person can best handle some email, who has better expertise in that field, forward the email to the other person so that the masters manage the work. This isn’t passing on your weight to someone else’s shoulders, but if the forwarding helps in doing practical work along with clearing down your inbox, then it’s a win-win.
3. Do it later:
But unlike the Do it way, if the email takes up more than 2 minutes, then without any second thoughts, procrastinate it! Don’t worry, and this only means that you are calling off the action for now. But make sure you don’t lose track of the email thread, and it’s available at any moment in just a few clicks.
4. Remove the trash:
Last but best, don’t shy away from removing the rubbish from your inbox if it is entirely useless; remove and then move forward.
Setup Folders for greater use
If you get confused while searching the old emails and messaging for hours with your inbox, this will surely help. Form separate folders for separate subjects and keep everything organized so that nothing slips through. For example, you should manage all the affairs like accounting, travel documents separately. This is the golden tip for efficient email management as it helps in work productivity as you know how to get to inbox zero.
Wipe out the small selections
While managing folders, moving the email threads to their respective folders is quite time-consuming. So here we come with the best time management tool– create, use filters and rules with special marks to project the email automatically from the inbox to its relevant folder.
Replicate the Responses
While all the email management apps, including Gmail, offer the privilege of saving 50+ templates and allowing self-customized templates. You have to make full use of them by using them while replying and save your time. Thus you can use this to know how to get to inbox zero.
Unsubscribe and Archive to know how to get to inbox zero
If you are really fond of reading newsletters and articles but only from your favorite genres, then this is a tuned-up tool for you. Shut down the email threads you’re no longer interested in or archive the emails you might require in some time and know how to get to inbox zero.
Use the best email management apps
Along with the tips discussed above, if you want to add new productivity tools, email management apps like Mailmanhq, EdisonMail, AquaMail, and many more are best for better email management. These apps help you know how to get to inbox zero.
Is knowing how to get to inbox zero pointless?
As said by Merlin Mann, taking inbox to zero is precisely keeping your inbox empty or close to empty at all times. But it is more likely to be a challenge for you. Even while using the best email management strategies, an empty inbox is still a nightmare.
But if we take it the wrong way, it is more like a backfire. Do you think that inbox zero means clearing all your emails? Is this the way to know how to get to inbox zero? No, it’s incorrect. The aim of achieving inbox zero means taking out the emails from your head, not your inbox. Philosophically, we believe that we think more about the emails that are pending rather than the emails we receive at present.
This is what inbox zero means; it’s not removing everything from your inbox but managing them and keeping it clear in your mind. People consider it more of a myth because the inbox keeps on flooding, and every moment you meet a 100+ unread email notification.
MAILMANHQ- best email management app
Mailmanhq assists a fine and clear User Interface and helps you know how to get to inbox zero. The layout is easy to navigate and learn. Join Mailmanhq through Google, using your existing email address, and use it.
- Mailmanhq is the best fit with Gmail and compatible too. It proves to be good email management.
- Available at affordable prices for $10 when billed annually and $8 when billed monthly.
- All the messages are end to end encrypted with Mailmanhq that provides you complete privacy controls.
- The “Do Not Disturb” tool helps to stay focused while working. It shuts down the email ding-dong.
- “VIP List” allows you to get alerts from important and specific contacts.
- Using the “Custom Delivery tool” emails arrive only at your predetermined time on your device.
- “Unlimited Blocking” to get rid of spammers and know how to get to inbox zero.
- Easy to learn productivity tools.
Know how to get to inbox zero now!
Don’t be lost while scrolling down the whole day and involved in actual work with the answer above to the frequently asked question- how to get to inbox zero in less than one minute?
The best way to improve your productivity at work is to Self-Introspect yourself and ask these three questions right now:
- How much time do you prefer to spend on your inbox?
- While you scroll down for hours, do you end up doing no actual work?
- At what time do you check your inbox? Are you focused at that time of the day?
- How much time are you currently spending on managing emails?
Get the answers. Once the solutions to all your email problems are well answered above, you need to adapt them. Answer the same questions weekly and keep track of your time and performance. You can even use email management tools like Mailmanhq to ease the process. With the perfect solutions, you’ll improve and so will your answers from now.
1. Respond to emails right away if it take less than 2 minutes.
2. Respond to emails later if it takes longer than a few minutes.
3. Delegate email tasks if it suits someone else better.
4. Use folders and filters to organize emails.
5. Delete spams and emails that you do not need.
1. Set an email management schedule.
2. Use folders and filters to categorize emails properly.
3. Create inbox rules to control incoming emails.
4. Unsubscribe from newsletters to reduce the clutter.
1. Delete spam folder.
2. Delete or archive old emails.
3. Create filters to target particular emails that you can delete.
1. On your computer, sign in to Google.
2. On the top right, select your profile image or initial.
3. On the menu, choose Add account.
4. Follow the instructions to sign in to the account you want to use.
