Productivity Challenge - Topic 1

Managing your Inbox

What are the top 3 pain points you feel when managing your inbox?

Those are the action items I want you to write down. If you need an accountability buddy, feel free to email me what they are and when you’ll be ticking them off your list.

Email is like any other form of communication - it takes time and discipline to stay on top of it!

Let’s dive into some practical strategies to help you conquer your inbox and maintain a clean slate at the end of each working day.

ACTION: Archive Emails by Date

Is your unread email count in the triple digits? A simple technique is to pick a date and archive all emails received before that day. By archiving, you retain the ability to search for specific emails while avoiding the burden of individually organizing potentially hundreds of messages.

This initial clean-up will provide a fresh start in your quest for inbox zero.

My advice: #justdoit

ACTION: Implement a Folder Hierarchy

Organizing your inbox into a well-defined folder hierarchy is crucial for efficient email management. Start with a basic structure:

• To Be Completed

• Administration

• Clients

• Leads

• Personal

Avoid overcomplicating the hierarchy, as simplicity is key to preventing overwhelm and enabling quick retrieval of important emails.

ACTION: Email Templates (or Canned Emails)

Save time and maintain consistency in your messaging by utilising the email template feature provided by most email platforms (Microsoft is amazing at it!). Preparing templates for frequently sent emails allows you to respond promptly, while ensuring professionalism and accuracy (all hail a consistent customer experience!).

Some instances where you should have canned emails/templates include:

• Response to packages and pricing requests

• Answering FAQ’s

• Onboarding new clients

• Offboarding a clients

• Being asked to justify your pricing

• Being asked to start a project earlier or work outside of hours

• Overdue invoices

Some of these templates are perfect for sticky situations - they allow you to copy and paste

in a moment where emotion could get the better of you!

You come across as cool, calm, and collected.

ACTION: Harness Labels for Visual Organization

Labels are powerful visual markers that aid in categorisation and can also trigger automated rules and zaps (more on this next). This visual organisation system facilitates a quick glance at your inbox and helps you identify critical emails in no time at all.

I like to use my labels as follows:

• Priority - Urgent, Not Urgent

• Project-based - Dubsado, OBM Retainer, Other

• Status - Not Yet Scheduled, Planning, In Progress

ACTION: Create Rules and Filters

Leverage the built-in filters and rules available in your email provider, or utilise third-party applications like Zapier, to automate email management tasks. This automation saves valuable time and ensures emails are directed to the appropriate destinations (no human error need apply).

Some great rules to start out on:

• Auto-forwarding invoices to your accounting software

• Automatically filing marketing emails (using the keyword “unsubscribe” as my trigger).

• Automatically filing emails from particular email domains

Some groovy zaps that link your inbox to another platform:

• Save new Gmail attachments to Google Drive

• Back up emails with matching parameters to Google Drive

ACTION: Opt-Out of Unnecessary Newsletters

Friend, there is a button that lets you unsubscribe - use it! Unless you make time in your calendar to read every newsletter that hits your inbox, you’ll be snowed under in no time. Clearing out the clutter of unread newsletters not only reduces distraction but also helps declutter your inbox and make way for essential messages.

With EOFY sales coming up - get out before the horror begins. Pop 10 minutes in your calendar every week for unsubscribing if that’s what it takes. Baby steps are okay.

ACTION: Integrate with Project Management Systems

If you utilise a project management system (PMS) like Trello or Asana, consider integrating it with your inbox. This integration allows you to create cards or tasks directly from starred emails (my favourite example), ensuring that important action items are promptly captured and added to your workflow.

If that’s not your style, Trello has a nifty board and card-specific email addresses, which allow you to forward emails directly #sohandy.

ACTION: Delegate Inbox Management

If you have an assistant or team member available, delegate the task of managing your inbox. By entrusting someone else to handle email triage and organization, you can focus your energy on high-priority tasks and maintain a more streamlined workflow. And be honest with yourself with this step - our team members are more than capable of handling customer service or lead inquiries with proper training. We just need to make the time to carry it out.

ACTION: Limit Inbox Distractions

Minimize interruptions and stay focused by turning off email notifications and checking your inbox only two to three times a day. By designating specific time slots for email management (your calendar app is about to be your best friend), you can concentrate on essential tasks without succumbing to constant distractions.

Let’s recap your homework for Topic One

That was a lot to take in! Did any of the above solve your biggest pain points? What can you implement today (even if you only allow 10 minutes)? I suggest picking 3 actions to complete to begin with!

Remember, if you need an accountability buddy (and you didn’t sign up to do this with a friend), email me your goals!

The whole point of you undergoing a self-paced productivity challenge is binging the whole thing (if you so desire). Dive into Topic 2 whenever you are ready - it’s all about Rethinking your To-Do’s.