For many working professionals, email is a constant presence which consumes a significant portion of daily attention, time, and resources. Some estimates indicate that high skill workers (such as managers and professionals) spend almost one-third of their time reading and answering email (McKinsey). One way to manage this is to have a decision process in place for managing email effectively. Ideally, email should only be touched once, and they should move into systems better equipped to handle the type of actions required.
This interactive module is based on setting up and practicing the <a href="https://fortelabs.co/blog/one-touch-to-inbox-zero" target="new">One-Touch Email System</a> proposed by Tiago Forte.
[[Interesting! How Do I Set it Up?]]
Email is really only intended to collect information inputs, therefore one-touch email involves streamlining the processing of each email into four output channels (ForteLabs, 2015). This preserves the functionality of the email system itself for its best use (collecting inputs), and effectively processes the individual emails you recieve into actionable items held in contextualized spaces.
With any email, there are really only seven things you can do with it. Three of these you are already very familiar with: Reply, delete/archive, do nothing. For this email, we are going to assume that you are already comfortable with deleting/archiving email, in replying to standard emails, and in knowing when to do nothing, so we won't cover those options here.
The other four options are different ways to process the email into spaces which are better equipped for those actionable items—they are what we will focus on here. The option we should use, which we will cover in a moment, depends on what is in the email. The key is to have a system in place which can house these action items in contextual spaces until we can get to them. That gets them out of our email, and into the places we will go to look when we need to do whatever that thing is (e.g., read, attend a meeting, take care of a task, find materials related to a project).
Ready to look at the four actions to get these emails out of our inboxes and into more managable spaces?
[[Let's look at them now!->Calendar Items]]
The first system we will look at is one you are probably very familiar with already: the calendar.
Calendars are really great for time-based action items, so any email asking for a meeting, reminding you of an upcoming project, or scheduling your time in some way should be moved into the calendar.
There are many calendar apps (most email systems have one), and some even allow you to take contextualized notes for meetings and such (see OneNote within Outlook, for example). It's always a good idea to drive planning related emails into a calendar!
[[Great! What's next?->Task Manager]]
This next system is also something you are probably very familiar with, but may not be something you have spent a lot of time thinking differently about. The second system for our one-touch email is our task manager!
Whether you are using a legal pad with a to-do list, a bullet journal, or a digital tool like Microsoft To-Do, your task manager's job is to keep track of all of the loose action items that crop up throughout the days and weeks. Ideally, these are short-term activities that you can scratch off. If it is actionable, but not something you can do soon, it probably needs to go on a backburner list somewhere. The bottom line is that any email with a short-term task associated needs to go into your task management system!
[[Got it!->Reference Materials]]
The next system deals with reference materials. Reference materials are not actionable (so you won't schedule them or put them into your task manager), but you may need to look back at them (reference them) later on to remember what you did, how you left things for the next project, etc. It's a good idea to keep reference materials in a place that is accessible when you need it, but out of the way (like a cloud drive system), and you will want to be sure to organize it in a structure that is easy to access later (by year, project, etc.). Bonus points if you come up with a naming convention for files to keep consistency and help you identify the right file (I personally use yyyymmdd projectname documentname).
The reference system is a powerful ally if you are consistent with closing out projects and processes by adding relevant materials consistently!
[[Sounds like a plan! What Else Is There?->Read Later]]The last system we will explore is the read later system. This can be a folder with all of your articles or bookmarks, a collections section in your browser (check out this feature in the new Microsoft Edge!), or a 3rd party app specifically designed for storing read later items.
Whenever you get an interesting article or bit of info you need to explore some time other than now, then store it in a read later system!
[[Got it!->Ready to Practice?]]Good Choice!
[[Next Email->Boss: Request for Report Numbers]] Good Choice!
[[Next Email->Co-Worker: Interesting Article]] (set: $mailno to 1)
Your Score: $score
New Message
From: Sam (co-worker)
Priority: Normal
Hi!
Are you free sometime next Tuesday at 2pm to meet? I want to go over the new processes for the thing-a-ma-doozer.
~Sam
What will you do?
[[Schedule in Calendar]]
[[Move into Task Manager->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Reference Materials->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Read Later->Wrong Choice]](set: $mailno to 2)
Your Score: $score
New Message
From: Amy (Boss)
Priority: High
Hi!
Can you get the numbers together for the TPS report by Thursday? I want to avoid coming in on Saturday to file it.
~Amy
[[Schedule in Calendar->Wrong Choice]]
[[Move into Task Manager]]
[[Add to Reference Materials->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Read Later->Wrong Choice]](set: $mailno to 6)
Your Score: $score
New Message:
From: Snookums (Spouse/Partner/Significant Other)
Priority: High
Hi Poo-bear!
Can you stop at the store and grab some groceries on the way home? I was thinking we could cook our favorite meal and listen to 80s music!
~Loves!
[[Schedule in Calendar->Wrong Choice]]
[[Move into Task Manager->Move into Task Manager 2]]
[[Add to Reference Materials->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Read Later->Wrong Choice]](set: $mailno to 4)
Your Score: $score
New Message
From: Henry (Project-Lead)
Priority: Normal
Here are the final documents for the project we are wrapping up. I don't think we will need them anymore, but wanted you to have a copy just in case.
~Henry
[[Schedule in Calendar->Wrong Choice]]
[[Move into Task Manager->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Reference Materials]]
[[Add to Read Later->Wrong Choice]](set: $mailno to 5)
Your Score: $score
New Message
From: Charlie (Project Lead)
Priority: Normal
Hi!
I am initializing Project Cinnamon in 6 months. I am requesting that you be assigned to the team. Keep an eye out for related communications.
Thanks!
~Charlie
[[Schedule in Calendar->Schedule in Calendar 2]]
[[Move into Task Manager->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Reference Materials->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Read Later->Wrong Choice]](set: $mailno to 3)
Your Score: $score
New Message
From: George (co-worker)
Priority: Normal
Hey, check out this new article on Flux Capacitors! It is a little ahead of its time!
~George
[[Schedule in Calendar->Wrong Choice]]
[[Move into Task Manager->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Reference Materials->Wrong Choice]]
[[Add to Read Later]]
You Nailed it! Inbox Zero!! Great Work!
(NOW you just have to remember to check your other systems!!)
[[Your Score]]Final Score: $score
[[One more time?->Ready to Practice?]]
[[Back to the Beginning?->Scenario]]
[[Scenario References]]Good Choice!
[[Next Email->Project Lead: Wrap-up Files]] Good Choice!
[[Next Email->Project Lead: Project Initiation starts in 6 Months]]
Good Choice!
[[Next Email->Inbox Zero!]] (set: $score -=5)
(if: $mailno is 1) [ Wasn't I supposed to be somewhere right now?
[[Try Again?->Co-Worker: Request for Meeting]] OR [[Check the Next Email->Boss: Request for Report Numbers]]]
(if: $mailno is 2) [ Whoops! The boss will be looking for THAT one!
[[Try Again?->Boss: Request for Report Numbers]] OR [[Next Email->Co-Worker: Interesting Article]]]
(if: $mailno is 3) [ Now, where did I put that article?
[[Try Again?->Co-Worker: Interesting Article]] OR [[Next Email->Project Lead: Wrap-up Files]]]
(if: $mailno is 4) [ I hope nobody needs to find those later!
[[Try Again?->Project Lead: Wrap-up Files]] OR [[Next Email->Project Lead: Project Initiation starts in 6 Months]]]
(if: $mailno is 5) [Don't worry! I am sure they will remind you again later!
[[Try Again?->Project Lead: Project Initiation starts in 6 Months]] OR [[Next Email->Spouse Email: Pick Up Groceries on The Way Home]]]
(if: $mailno is 6) [I am pretty hungry...Wonder what we have for dinner?
[[Try Again?->Spouse Email: Pick Up Groceries on The Way Home]] OR [[Next Email->Inbox Zero!]]]Good Choice!
[[Next Email->Spouse Email: Pick Up Groceries on The Way Home]]McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/the-social-economy
ForteLabs: https://fortelabs.co/blog/one-touch-to-inbox-zero
(set: $score to 100)
[[Let's go to your Inbox!->Co-Worker: Request for Meeting]]