Most of the email in your inbox isn’t useful. Instead of managing it, try ignoring it

Most of the email in your inbox isn’t useful. Instead of managing it, try ignoring it
Most of the email in your inbox isn’t useful. Instead of managing it, try ignoring it

Sometimes it feels like achieving “inbox zero” – or having read, filtered, deleted or just dealt with all the emails I get – is an impossible goal to achieve. So, stop trying. Just ignore your inbox and go on about your life. Here are some strategies to help implement it:

Set an out-of-office responder

Let people know what to expect from you.

  • Include the answers to frequently asked questions so you can be more productive without getting bogged down in emails.
  • Maybe include someone else they should contact if they have a specific inquiry.

Try this with a personal email inbox first

It can force people to help themselves before reaching out to you

  • “It’s basically like having people filter themselves and just stop and think for a second, ‘Is this something super-urgent that I actually need Taylor to respond to, or can I just not bother her right now?’ “

You can still check your inbox

The goal is to be less beholden to responding to emails and more focused on other aspects of life.

  • It’s not a foolproof plan. Lorenz says she has missed a few opportunities and announcements here and there. But by and large, it has been worth it to regain hours and hours of her life back.

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