Inbox

Let's triage your inbox systematically. You don't need to read 200 emails — most can be handled in seconds.

Round 1 — Bulk cleanup (5 minutes):

1. Delete/archive all newsletters you haven't read in 2 weeks — they're stale
2. Archive all notification emails (GitHub, Jira, Slack digests) — you already saw these in the app
3. Archive all CC'd emails where you weren't directly addressed — if they needed you, they'd have replied

This should eliminate 50-70% of your unread count.

Round 2 — Quick replies (15 minutes): Scan remaining emails. For each one:

• Can you reply in under 2 minutes? Do it now.
• Need more than 2 minutes? Star it and move on.
• Just FYI, no action needed? Archive it.

Round 3 — Deep responses (schedule for later): You should have 10-15 starred emails left. Block 30 minutes this afternoon to handle them.

Going forward — prevent the pile-up:

1. Process email twice daily (10 AM and 3 PM), not continuously
2. Unsubscribe from anything you've ignored 3 times in a row
3. Set up filters: auto-label by sender (clients, team, newsletters), auto-archive notifications
4. If an email will take more than 5 minutes, move it to your task list — your inbox isn't a to-do list

Want me to help you draft quick replies for common email types?

Here are three options depending on the situation:

Option 1 — Decline but offer alternative: "Thanks for the invite. I won't be able to make this one — I have a conflict during that time. Could you share the meeting notes afterward? If there's anything that needs my input, I'm happy to review async or find 15 minutes later this week."

Option 2 — Decline and suggest someone else: "Appreciate the invite. I don't think I'd be the right person for this one — [colleague name] is closer to this project and would have more context. I'd suggest looping them in instead. Happy to help if something specific comes up that needs my input."

Option 3 — Decline permanently (recurring meetings): "I've been reviewing my recurring commitments, and I'd like to step back from this meeting. I find I'm not contributing meaningfully, and the time would be better spent on [current priority]. I'll stay subscribed to the notes doc so I can stay informed. Let me know if anything changes where my input would be valuable."

Which tone fits your situation? I can also adjust the formality level — these are mid-formality, suitable for colleagues you know. For executives or external partners, I'd make them slightly more formal.