Guide to Inbox Zero

The Inbox Zero methodology is an approach to email management that aims to keep your inbox empty or nearly empty at all times. Developed by Merlin Mann, this methodology integrates perfectly with the principles of Zen To Done, particularly with habit #2: Process.

Premises of Inbox Zero

The email inbox is often the main accumulation point for inputs and requests in our professional lives. Unfortunately, many people use email ineffectively:

1. As a to-do list
2. As a filing system
3. As a messaging chat
4. As a project management tool

This leads to inboxes overflowing with emails that cause stress, loss of important information, and decreased productivity.

The 6-Step Solution

1. Preparation

• Unsubscribe from newsletter lists and non-essential notifications

  • Use services like Unroll.me for easy unsubscribing
  • For each newsletter ask yourself: “When was the last time I used information from this source?”

• Reduce the number of email addresses

  • Ideally, use just one email address
  • Alternatively, set up a redirect or use a client that supports multiple accounts in a single inbox

• Move all existing emails to the archive

  • Do a radical cleanup to start from zero
  • Select all (CTRL+A) and move to Archive

2. Use email only as an input collector

• Disable multiple inboxes

  • Turn off features like “Focused Inbox”
  • Remove automatic filters that move emails

• Disable smart features

  • Turn off automatic categorization
  • Remove filters that might hide emails

• Disconnect from chats and social media

  • Teams, Slack, and other platforms should be checked only at specific times
  • Set clear rules with your team on how and when to use these tools

• Disable email client notifications

  • Remove pop-up notifications
  • Configure your client not to alert you when new emails arrive

3. Organize downstream systems

• Calendar

  • For every event, commitment, or appointment
  • Create events directly from relevant emails

• Task manager

  • For actionable items not related to a specific time
  • Use Microsoft To Do or another app integrated with email

• Note app

  • For non-actionable items you don’t want to lose
  • Send content to OneNote or another note app

• Read later app

  • For content to read when you have time
  • Use Pocket or similar apps

4. Simplify your workflow

• Enable automatic advancement

  • Configure your client to automatically move to the next email

• Enable keyboard shortcuts

  • Learn the main shortcuts:
    • New message: CTRL+SHIFT+M
    • Reply: CTRL+R
    • Reply all: CTRL+SHIFT+R
    • Forward: CTRL+F
    • Archive: Backspace

• Enable conversation view

  • View emails as threads to better follow discussions

5. Practice making triage decisions

For each email, immediately decide what to do following this workflow:

1. Archive immediately

   • If it requires no action
   • Shortcut: Backspace

2. Reply, then archive

   • If the response takes less than 2 minutes
   • If necessary, create a follow-up reminder

3. Add to calendar, then archive

   • For appointments, meetings, events
   • Shortcut: CTRL+ALT+R

4. Create a task, then archive

   • For actions that require more than 2 minutes
   • Shortcut: Ins (flag)

5. Send to note app, then archive

   • For information to keep
   • Forward to [email protected]

6. Send to read later app, then archive

   • For content to read when you have time
   • Forward to [email protected]

6. Close the email client

• Check emails only 2-3 times a day
• Close the email client between sessions
• Dedicate specific time to processing emails

Inbox Zero Workflow in Action

Here’s how to concretely manage emails:

1. Dedicate specific moments

   • Morning (after completing your first MIT)
   • After lunch
   • End of day

2. Process from top to bottom

   • Don’t skip difficult emails
   • Don’t reread multiple times without deciding

3. Apply the 2-minute rule

   • If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it immediately
   • If it takes more time, create a task

4. Don’t leave emails in the inbox

   • Every email must be processed and archived
   • Zero is not just a number, it’s a philosophy

5. Continuously improve

   • Analyze which emails steal your time
   • Optimize responses with templates
   • Automate where possible

Benefits of Inbox Zero

Implementing Inbox Zero will allow you to:

• Significantly reduce email-related stress
• Increase your responsiveness to important requests
• Avoid losing crucial information
• Free up mental space for more important activities
• Improve your professionalism and reliability

“Email is not a task management system. It is a communication system.” - Merlin Mann