inbox-zero · diff
git:20260705.acb5571 to git:20260705.a28c4ce
17 added, 17 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: Inbox Zero
- description: Processes any email backlog to zero using the 4Ds — Delete, Delegate, Defer, Do — with a mass-archive strategy for the obvious, a touch-each-email-once discipline, and a keep-it-clear system of batched processing windows, ruthless unsubscribing, filters, and a minimal folder setup. Use when someone says "I have 5,000 unread emails", "help me get to inbox zero", "email is eating my whole day", or treats their inbox as a to-do list. Do NOT use for drafting the reply emails themselves or prioritization rules for an ongoing support queue — use email-triage instead — or for protecting focus time around the email windows — use deep-work-planner instead.
+ description: Processes any email backlog to zero using the 4Ds - Delete, Delegate, Defer, Do - with a mass-archive strategy for the obvious, a touch-each-email-once discipline, and a keep-it-clear system of batched processing windows, ruthless unsubscribing, filters, and a minimal folder setup. Use when someone says "I have 5,000 unread emails", "help me get to inbox zero", "email is eating my whole day", or treats their inbox as a to-do list. Do NOT use for drafting the reply emails themselves or prioritization rules for an ongoing support queue - use email-triage instead - or for protecting focus time around the email windows - use deep-work-planner instead.
---
# Inbox Zero
- Inbox Zero isn't an empty inbox for its own sake — it's a clear mind. The inbox is a
+ Inbox Zero isn't an empty inbox for its own sake - it's a clear mind. The inbox is a
processing queue, not a storage system or a to-do list. This skill clears it and keeps
it clear.
## The core idea
Your inbox should hold only **unprocessed** messages. Once you've looked at an email,
- it should not stay in the inbox — it gets a decision. Touch each email once.
+ it should not stay in the inbox - it gets a decision. Touch each email once.
## The 4Ds
For every email, make one of four decisions immediately:
- - **Delete** (or Archive) — no action needed, no future reference. Most email is this.
+ - **Delete** (or Archive) - no action needed, no future reference. Most email is this.
Be ruthless; you can always search archive later.
- - **Delegate** — someone else should own it. Forward with clear context and a deadline,
+ - **Delegate** - someone else should own it. Forward with clear context and a deadline,
then archive it from your inbox (track the handoff elsewhere if needed).
- - **Defer** — needs action but not now, or takes > 2 minutes. Move it to your task system
+ - **Defer** - needs action but not now, or takes > 2 minutes. Move it to your task system
or a "Today/This week" follow-up label, then archive. The action lives in your tasks,
not your inbox.
- - **Do** — if it takes **under 2 minutes**, handle it right now, then archive. Deferring
+ - **Do** - if it takes **under 2 minutes**, handle it right now, then archive. Deferring
a 1-minute reply costs more than doing it.
## Processing the backlog
1. **Sort by sender or subject** to batch similar items.
- 2. **Mass-archive the obvious** — newsletters, old notifications, threads already resolved.
+ 2. **Mass-archive the obvious** - newsletters, old notifications, threads already resolved.
"Select all older than 30 days" is often safe to archive en masse.
3. **Process top to bottom**, applying the 4Ds to each remaining message. No skipping back.
- 4. **Don't get pulled into deep work** mid-processing — if a "Do" item balloons, make it
+ 4. **Don't get pulled into deep work** mid-processing - if a "Do" item balloons, make it
a "Defer" and keep moving. Processing and doing are separate modes.
## Keep it at zero
- - **Batch your email** — process in 2-3 fixed windows a day, not continuously. Turn off
+ - **Batch your email** - process in 2-3 fixed windows a day, not continuously. Turn off
notifications between windows.
- - **Unsubscribe relentlessly** — every newsletter you don't read is recurring noise.
+ - **Unsubscribe relentlessly** - every newsletter you don't read is recurring noise.
Spend 10 minutes a week killing subscriptions.
- - **Use filters/rules** — auto-archive or label predictable senders (CI, receipts) so they
+ - **Use filters/rules** - auto-archive or label predictable senders (CI, receipts) so they
skip the inbox.
- **Templates / canned responses** for repeated replies.
- - **One folder for archive** — search beats foldering. Don't build elaborate folder trees.
+ - **One folder for archive** - search beats foldering. Don't build elaborate folder trees.
## Folder/label setup (minimal)
```
Inbox -> unprocessed only
Archive -> everything else (searchable)
Follow-up -> waiting on someone / deferred actions (optional)
```
## A simple daily routine
- Morning window: process to zero, 4D each message.
- Midday window: clear what arrived, fire off quick replies.
- End of day: final pass to zero; deferred items already live in your task list.
## Anti-patterns
- - Treating the inbox as a to-do list — it has no priority, no due dates, and others fill it.
- - Reading an email and leaving it unread "to deal with later" — you'll touch it 5 times.
- - Checking email constantly — it shatters focus; batch it.
- - Building 40 folders — you'll spend more time filing than searching.
+ - Treating the inbox as a to-do list - it has no priority, no due dates, and others fill it.
+ - Reading an email and leaving it unread "to deal with later" - you'll touch it 5 times.
+ - Checking email constantly - it shatters focus; batch it.
+ - Building 40 folders - you'll spend more time filing than searching.