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Step 1
Create three folders in your email system: Reference, Delegate, and Defer or Action
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Step 2
The reference folder will be used to hold all of the emails that have already been acted upon and/or read. This is your filing cabinet. Feel free to create a myriad of sub folders under the reference folder to organize your reference email so that you are able to recall them as necessary.
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Step 3
In the delegate folder you should put anything that you have assigned to another person or you just wish to follow up on.
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Step 4
Place email items in the defer or action folder that you need to take action on in the near future. Ideally, when you receive an email you should consider the two minute rule.
If the email can be read or acted upon within two minutes you should do it now and file it in reference or delete it. You may also be able to delegate it and place it in the delegate folder. If it will take longer than two minutes you should schedule it in your calendar or task list when you will have time to accomplish the task and then file the email in the defer or action folder. -
Step 5
Review your delegate and defer or action folders every day first thing in the morning and before the end of the day. This will help keep you from missing things.
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Step 6
By the end of each day you should have the goal of an empty inbox. Every email should have been acted on, filed in reference, defered, or delegated.
