In 2022 I Will Become an Email Ninja.

In 2022, I will get better at email and save serious time.   I love email, but I get 200 to 500 emails a day. Email is great but also a distraction if not managed. Let me share four magic steps (and one bonus step) to conquering email.

1. Unsubscribe from unwanted emails.   This will take a few days max. You don’t want to be distracted by the latest 10% off sale email from <name your retailer>.   Hat tip Tiago Forte. https://fortelabs.co/blog/basboverview/
   
2. BONUS tip:  If you can’t think of a good reason to stay on an email list in 5 seconds, unsubscribe.
3. Categorize:  do today, do later, delegate, delete. Create folders in your email client for each. Drag and Drop. Done.   I try to skim these emails and not read them. For me, this is the hardest part. I do this in 30-minute blocks, once in the AM and once in the PM.
   Note: you don’t necessarily have to have a “Delete” folder, but it is kind of nice because you get to “select all” and hit DELETE and that’s a beautiful feeling.
4. Act:  I knock out the “do now” emails and the “delegate” emails right away because I am in a time-sensitive business. This step can be flexible based on your needs. You may have to block some time in the afternoon and repeat the process.
5. The “Do later” category is for whenever you have time. “Do later” emails should become “Do now” after thinking and reflecting, but they can also be “DELETED.” If you liked this post, connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter @DrewMMeister.