Types of email...

There are only 6 types of email, and only 0 reasons to have an inbox full of them.

It's not a hard thing to process down to zero in your inbox- you just need to look at each email and decide which kind of the following 6 it is, and then you'll know what to do with it:

• Email you've read and there’s no next action for you in it or there is and you can do it in 2 minutes or less/have done it and you don’t need to keep it for reference. You may delete it!
• Email you've read and there's no action for you associated with it right now but maybe at a later time. So someday it or tag and file it!
• Email you've read and decided there is an action but you are not sure what the action is. So, either put it in waiting (until you know what to do),  or someday it!
• Email you've read, know what the action is and know you can't do it in 2 minutes or less. Put it on a to do/Next Action list in the appropriate context, and put the email either in the trash or the action folder.
• Email you've read acted on and are now waiting for a reply or next action from someone else to complete the loop. Put it in Waiting.

But Bob, you say... I counted the little bullet points and that's only 5 types  of email!
Very observant, padawan learner... what's the only kind of email there's any REAL justification for to have in your inbox?

"Unread."

Quick poll- answer in the comments...

How many emails do you currently have in your inbox?

Comments

[Erik]

6. I always feel that if it goes away from my inbox, that I will forget about it. As long as it is in my inbox, it aggravates me enough to take care of it. Most of my lingering inbox stuff is related to bills I will need to pay at some point that I'm afraid of being late with.

[Scott Cheatham]

Excellent post Bob. I've used some of Allen's stuff including his email system. We must have been thinking along the same lines because I just posted on the system I use at present using a stoplight as a metaphor. It works well also.

Good tips.

[chris leonardo]

very true...

and I can happily answer that last question with a loud and proud

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