I Don’t Chase Inbox Zero Anymore — Here’s What I Do Instead
For years, I believed that “Inbox Zero” was the holy grail of productivity — a pristine digital slate at the end of each day that meant I was on top of everything. If I cleared my inbox, I had clarity. I had control. I had done “the work.”
But over time, I realized that chasing Inbox Zero was just that — a chase. A never-ending loop of archiving, replying, snoozing, labeling, and kidding myself that a tidy inbox was the same as a focused mind.
Now? I don’t chase Inbox Zero. I chase progress. Here’s what I do instead.
1. I Turn My Inbox into a Triage Room — Not a To-Do List
Your inbox is everyone else’s to-do list for you. If I treat every message like a task, I’m surrendering my priorities to someone else’s urgency.
Now, I review emails like a triage nurse. Is it urgent? Is it mine? Is it important right now? If not, it waits. I give myself permission to ignore “quick asks” that are really distractions in disguise.
2. I Snooze Ruthlessly
Gmail’s snooze function is my safety valve. I use it not to avoid work, but to schedule when I want to think about something. Monday morning isn’t the time to answer a Friday afternoon “circle back.” That gets snoozed until Thursday.
It’s not procrastination — it’s intention.
3. I Keep a "Focus First" List Outside My Inbox
At the start of each week, I write down 3–5 things that actually move the needle: key decisions, strategic initiatives, big conversations. This list lives in Notion (or sometimes just on a sticky note next to my desk), and it’s where I go before I check email in the morning.
Email is reactive. My focus list is proactive.
4. I Automate What I Can
Newsletters are routed to a separate tab. Recurring requests get templates. Calendar links cut out the back-and-forth. I’ve even trained AI to draft common responses or flag the emails that really need my attention.
Inbox management is a systems problem, not a willpower problem. The right tools make a difference.
5. I Let Some Balls Drop — On Purpose
This is the hardest one. I don’t respond to every email. I miss things sometimes. But I’ve learned that not all dropped balls shatter. Some just bounce. And more often than not, the things I let go of were never that important to begin with.
Being a CEO, a parent, a founder — it all means trade-offs. Inbox Zero was never the goal. Impact is.
Final Thought
I no longer see an overflowing inbox as a failure. It’s a byproduct of being engaged, leading multiple teams, and doing meaningful work. My job isn’t to empty the inbox — it’s to make decisions, build momentum, and move the work forward.
So no, I don’t chase Inbox Zero anymore.
I chase what matters.
