According to latest studies, the average person checks their email 6-8 times a day (15 times if you’re a guy under 25). Depending on your job, it is estimated that you will receive between 30-80 a day.
So, how do you manage all that new information and get your inbox down to zero mail every day? Building upon David Allen’s time management system and with slight refining by Merlin Mann’s “Inbox Zero” theory, here is my email management system that works wonders:
How to get in control of your inbox (Diagram by Chris Trodden)
How to set up your inbox system:
1. Create 2 folders: 1) Archive 2009 and 2) Action ME! (Treat your inbox like an airport: mail arrives and departs from there, it doesn’t hang around all day.)
2. Set 3-4 times per day when you check your email. (Close it down after these times. Go on, you can do it!)
3. Remove all notification prompts of when mail arrives e.g. bleeps, ghost icon, mail icon on Taskbar, etc.
4. Add to your email signature the times you have selected of when you check your emails so everyone will know. This will stop your clients from feeling like you’re avoiding them.
How to use your inbox system:
When your email comes in, choose whether you will:
1. Delete it straight away – you’d amazed at what you can actually delete.
2. Do it straight away – if it can be actioned in under 2 minutes do it!
3. Move it to your Action ME! Folder if it’ll take more than 2 minutes to do.
4. Delegate it! Forward it on to the appropriate person in your team.
5. Archive it – if it includes important information, but requires no response.
How to use your Action ME! folder:
Set a specific time in the day when you will re-open your email, not to check it, but to complete your action list. Understand your circadian rhythms to maximises your time. Empty this folder to zero every 3 days. If you have anything in there for a longer period of time it means you didn’t press delete when you should have. Once it’s been actioned, archive it or delete it straight away.
Tip: Print out this picture out and stick it on your laptop or computer. It can also be applied to any type of paper work.
(You can also get this blog by email.)
Paul Derham's Blog 
Paul,
Thanks for this… I’ve been using this system and it really helps… Only thing is you have to concentrate to make sure you don’t get distracted reading emails or clicking on web links… When I consciously focus it works well.
Nick
Nice post, I’m giving it a try this week! Gave you a shout out on my blog, thanks for the insight.
[…] I think that Randy Pausch is right: Your Inbox is not your To-Do List. Paul Derham described the Inbox as an airport: “mail arrives and departs from there, it doesn’t hang around all day”. And perhaps […]