Have you tried all kinds of different technology, software tools and filing systems to stay on top of your expanding email inbox without success?  I know I have.  But, they all turned out to be too complicated and were eventually abandoned.

Like everyone else out there I struggle to stay on top of my inbox.  Recently,  I’m trying something new and low tech that seems to be working.  It starts by thinking of managing your email in the same way you think about doing laundry.  Stay with me.

Like email, laundry piles up and doesn’t go away until you get it done.  Like email, it also gets bigger each day that goes by unattended.

So, I wondered whether we could transfer some of the methods we use for  successfully managing lots of laundry to managing our email.  And, you guessed it: we can.

When we do laundry, what do we do first? We sort.   We sort whites and colors, we separate some items for hand washing/gentle cycle.  We may even have to take some to be dry-cleaned.  Notice that sorting your laundry is not the same as actually doing your laundry.  First we do one, then the other.

It’s the same with email. Sorting should be separate from doing (responding).

I find what works best is to first sort everything in my inbox.   Figure out what can be delegated (dry-cleaned), what can be taken care of quickly (whites and colors) and what needs more care (delicates).  Then, once I know what’s there,  I can schedule a time to get it done. Which is usually right afterwards.

Because, of course, “sorting” only works if it’s faithfully followed by “doing” everyday.  If you wait too long, you just end up with bigger and bigger piles of sorted emails (laundry).

What about the old adage “respond to email if you can do so in less than 2 minutes?”. It might work for you it hasn’t worked for me.

I find that I lose focus and end up going down rabbit holes and wasting time.  I like to keep my mind on “sorting mode” instead of switching back and forth between doing and sorting.

I know this laundry metaphor is a bit peculiar but so far it’s working. Give it a try.

Have email managing tips you want to share?  Please send.

©Copyright Eva Del Rio

Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box™ – tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to Eva@evadelrio.com