We focused in a previous article on the importance of having an inbox for your paper and how to process through its contents. Now, we want to show you how to apply some of the same systems to your email inbox.

According to Entrepreneur Magazine (May 2007), "Employees spend 40% of each workday checking e-mail." Given the volume of emails received on a daily basis, it is critical to have an effective system for sorting and storing them.


Inbox – The key is to limit your inbox to the messages you need to take action on or have not opened. This requires creating a home for all other emails. Just like your paper inbox, your email inbox is a place where information should come into and move out of quickly. Your goal is to maintain a nearly empty inbox.

Sorting - Apply the FAT system to your email inbox. Make a decision - File, Act or Toss.

• File: If you want to reference the email again and no action is required, then file it in your reference folders.
• Act: If the email requires action, first ask if you are the right person? If not, forward it to the appropriate person. If the action item requires your attention and will take more than two minutes to complete, then leave it in your inbox and schedule time to complete it. Otherwise, do it immediately.
• Toss: If you don’t need to reference the email in the future, and there is no action required, then toss it.

Storing – Having an organized filing system for your email is just as important as having one for your paper files. Take the time up front to plan and create your file folder structure. In your email system, you can name new folders based on project names, sender's names, client names, vendor names, or the action that needs to be taken.