In fact, 28% of our working time is spent on reading and answering emails.

The issue is that it takes approximately 64 seconds to get back on track after being interrupted by emails, which leads to decreased productivity and a lack of focus.

But what if we told you that there’s an easy way to take control of your inbox, and improve your productivity and your concentration?

What is Inbox Zero

The Inbox Zero strategy was coined by Merlin Mann, a writer and productivity expert.

Contrary to what the name might suggest, the idea isn’t to frantically try to get your email inbox down to zero by the end of the day. Instead, it refers to "the amount of time an employee’s brain is in her or his inbox". The main idea of this concept is to create a distraction and stress-free working environment so that your emails and messages take up zero space in your mind.

To achieve the coveted Inbox Zero, you should always follow the core pillars: delete, delegate, respond, defer, do.

Delete

Once you open your emails, scan through and immediately delete on the spot anything that can be deleted. Your favorite restaurant is updating you about their new menu? You can probably delete their message. After all, you can drool over the new menu next time you go ;) This will make some space in your inbox and alleviate any stress linked to having a high number of emails sitting in there.

Delegate

If some of the emails require the help of someone else or are someone else’s responsibility entirely, flick them through immediately. This way, not only will you clear your inbox and allow your brain to process more important things, but you’ll also ensure the appropriate person gets the message.

Respond

When processing emails, you’ll be able to quickly spot the ones that require a response. However, responding doesn’t necessarily mean immediately crafting a long-winded reply or spending time doing research to answer a query. Instead, it means acknowledging the message and giving an estimate on how long it will take you to complete the task.

Defer

For emails that are not urgent and will take you more than two minutes to complete, defer until later, when you have more time. The best thing to do here is to set a deadline and turn this email into a task in your calendar, so you don’t forget about it.

Do

Do refers to tasks you can do straight away if you have the time or to urgent and important tasks that need to be actioned immediately. For instance, say your boss’s presentation is scheduled to start in a couple of hours. They’re on the road and they need you to urgently send them a slide they forgot to add beforehand. This can’t wait for too long and should be actioned ASAP.

Manage your Emails

It’s a fact, we all have different ways of managing our emails. And what works for your colleagues or friends might not work for you. Yet, even though there is no right or wrong way to handle your inbox, following Merlin Mann’s Inbox Zero method could genuinely help you get on top of your email while boosting your productivity. We know it helps us!