Reclaiming Control Over Your Inbox

Read time: 6-7 minutes

On week six of implementing Groundwork with a leader I coach, we applied the system to his email inbox. I was reminded just how crippling our inboxes can be when we don’t have a method for managing the sheer volume of information and communication we receive daily.

It’s actually sad.

We become so weighed down by our inboxes that we feel genuinely bad about ourselves and our inability to tend to the relationships behind those email threads.

It’s the opposite of peace of mind. Instead, it’s overwhelm, guilt, and the crippling feeling that we will never be good enough because we can’t handle everything on our plate.

People are declaring email bankruptcy. Elsewhere, the new flex is simply not responding at all. Everyone is looking for a way to let go of the guilt and find peace. Throwing our hands up in frustration seems like the only option when we can’t find a way out of our inbox misery.

But after years of coaching professionals on managing their email, I’ve discovered real solutions that alleviate stress and anxiety around email overload.

If you’ve worked with me or taken Groundwork training, you’ll know I’m serious when I say there’s another way besides giving up.

Your inbox should not be a constant source of anxiety—it should be a place where you feel in control and manage relationships with care.

The Shift in Mindset

First, processing email is PART of your work. If you’re not blocking time in your workday to process email, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

If you have a dozen back-to-back meetings that prevent you from taking the time needed to do other parts of your job—things like planning, problem-solving, processing action items from meetings, unblocking co-workers on Teams or Slack, and, yes, responding to emails—you need to take a step back and reassess your schedule.

You can’t win at work if you don’t have the time to handle essential tasks beyond meetings.

If you’re a leader, you will need to be highly reactive at times. But, like everyone else, you also need time for the less urgent yet essential things in life. A good firefighter is always organizing their firehouse so they are well-prepared to react when needed.

The Inbox-Zeroish Approach

At Groundwork, we go by inbox-zeroish. We don’t pretend that everything will always be neatly done and wrapped with a bow.

For some of you, even if you cleared your inbox at 4:00 PM, by 4:30 PM, a dozen new emails would appear.

We’re not under any illusion that the work will ever be done. Instead, we embrace the reality that we will never get to everything—and that recognition is where peace of mind comes from.

By working with the following system, we maintain a state of completion for the moment.

With this methodology, we don’t get buried. We stay afloat.

The System: How to Achieve Inbox-Zeroish

• Block time daily to process email in your calendar.

• Keep your inbox for incomplete items only (emails requiring your attention or action).

• Archive completed emails (anything that requires no further action). You can always search for emails when needed.

• If an email requires dedicated time to process (e.g., 20 minutes of research before responding), block time in your calendar and snooze the email to return to your inbox at that scheduled time.

• Use only three inbox labels:

  • Weekly Review – Short-term action items.

  • Monthly Review – Long-term action items.

  • Pending – Emails awaiting a response from others (review regularly in the Daily Review).

• The Daily Review – Process remaining emails:

  • If it takes two minutes or less, respond immediately.

  • Otherwise, allocate time or snooze the email to an already scheduled processing time.

Additional Coaching Tip: Managing Emotional Triggers

If an email triggers you, pause before responding. Drop in, find your way to a non-resistant state, and respond with clarity and grace.

Simplify Your System

Setting up this email management system requires some initial effort, especially if you need to purge your inbox and abandon an overcomplicated folder system. I encourage clients to reduce the number of folders and stick to the simplicity of Weekly Review, Monthly Review, and Pending.

You may need an extra folder for Receipts or Reference, but keep it simple—remember, you can search your inbox anytime for archived emails.

The Impact of a New Email Mindset

When applying the Groundwork System, our mindset follows us wherever we go. That’s why we apply the same thought process to email as we do to filtering Capture.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what others have said:

“Learning the Groundwork system has completely transformed my relationship to my inbox.” — Micah, Kripalu

“I interact with hundreds of people and emails every day. I now feel in control of my schedule (and my days off), and I have way less anxiety and worry.” — Tarun, Modern Biology

Need Help? We’ve Got You.

If you feel overwhelmed by your inbox, consider booking a few coaching sessions with our team. It’s not unusual for us to help clients sift through their inbox, clear lingering emails, and implement the system effectively.

No doubt, inboxes can be overwhelming—but with this simple system, they don’t have to be.

If you have access to Groundwork’s Online Course, check out the Email Setup Module in Part 3 of Optimize Your Productivity.

That’s all for now.

See you in two weeks!