Inbox Zero-Ish: How I Handle Emails + DMs Without Burning Out
Inbox Zero sounds great in theory. In reality? Running multiple businesses means my inboxes and DMs will never be perfectly empty—and that’s okay. Instead, I aim for “Inbox Zero-ish.” Here’s what that looks like for me. Set Clear Check Times I don’t live in my inbox. I check emails and DMs at specific times during the day, and the rest stays closed. Sort, Don’t Just Read Every time I open a message, I make a decision: reply, delegate, or archive. No endless re-reading the same emails. Use Filters + Automations Labels, rules, and auto-responses keep things tidy. Client emails get priority tags. Newsletters skip the inbox and land in folders. Know What Deserves a Reply Not every message needs your attention. I prioritize paying clients, potential leads, and urgent requests. Everything else can wait (or get deleted). Why “Zero-ish” Works Perfection isn’t realistic. But aiming for manageable inboxes and DMs keeps me from spiraling into overwhelm—and makes sure nothing import...