Getting to done with email backlog
September 25th, 2012 GTD Times Team - Staff ContributorsCategories | Getting Started | Getting Things Done | GTD Toolbox | Implementation | Inspiration
One of our GTD fans on Facebook recently posted about dramatically reducing her email backlog. Good job! How much email backlog do you still have? How would you tackle that as a project? Post a comment about how you would phrase the successful outcome (what does done look like with backlog?), and what your next action is.
How much email backlog do you still have?
Zero.
Many days a week I reach the zero. However, constantly new stuff flows into my inbox
I currently have 35 emails as a backlog, which I’m very proud of & had about 100 to start with
I use Gmail & have a label called @ DMZ & then they’re split between reading & action. My project is ‘process @ DMZ to zero’ & next actions are normally something like ‘set timer for 5 mins: process action emails’. I’m dealing with all new emails pretty well & just whittling this backlog down as it’s not urgent stuff, but needs to get finished.
Having 391 emails in my IN box at the moment (using it as my “holding” box) is causing more mental stress than necessary.
When is that buried item going to explode?
I see the successful outcome to be: My IN box is processed and I have an action list of all tasks associated with each email. The 391 emails would be off my mind and in my trusted system.
My next action: I need to set aside a block of uninterrupted time (this week) to complete the processing task.
Funny how this topic appeared at this time
Inbox: zero
To-answer-folder: 9
To-read-online-folder: 9
To-read-offline-folder: 3
Feels good.
I get email to zero by leaning on the GTD system heavily and in practice most of my email ends up in a folder called, “Read – FYI”. The criteria is reading that’s not actionable either now or someday (no commitment) and something I’m comfortable deleting without a second thought. A lot of news, sports scores and market related emails to here.
If I did have backlog I would drag the backlog into an email folder called “Email Backlog” and note the outcome and action in my system so to distinguish between new content and backlog.
The following comment is the one that really clicked with me and means my inboxes (both email and the old fashioned paper one) are at zero at the end of every day. I heard this comment from my new personal assistant when we were working out how we would work together.
She told me to think of my inbox like my postbox or mailbox. Would you go out the door to your mail box, open it read a letter put the letter backin the envelope and then put the envelope back in the mailbox and go back inside. If you do that then leave your inbox full. If you wouldn’t then why do that with your email inbox? I felt rather silly so once she has classified and auctioned what she needs to, I sort the rest out.
Cheers
Eric, love the mailbox analogy. Give your assistant a raise!
Eric – I agree that is a great analogy, your assistant definitely deserves a raise.
I am currently sitting with 387 unread emails and well over 1000 in my inbox. Just started reading Getting things done, tonight.
Oooh, I love this posting! I try to keep my emails at less than 1 screen, so I don’t have to scroll…
I’m finishing up writing a 6-week online program called Email Efficiency for Entrepreneurs. I’m working of the “Processing your Inbox Effectively” Module now. David is one of the EXPERTS that I consistently refer to in the course.
Thanks David!