On my worst day I had thousands of unread emails
The emails kept coming.
I wasn't replying fast enough. My inbox was growing faster than I could process it. By the worst day, I had thousands of unread messages sitting there, mocking me.
It wasn't about the emails themselves. It was about the shame of not keeping up. The guilt of knowing people were waiting for responses.
Then I realized something: the email system was designed for a different era.
Back when people sent emails less frequently, it made sense to treat your inbox like a to-do list. But now? Now emails are just noise unless you have a system.
So I built one:
- Automate categorization. Use rules or automation to sort incoming emails automatically.
- Create clear workflows. Some emails need responses. Some need actions. Some are just FYI.
- Set response expectations. Make it known how long people should expect to wait for a response.
- Review, don't react. Instead of checking email constantly, review it in batches.
That thousands of unread emails? It took me two weeks to clear. But now it stays at zero because the system handles it automatically.
You don't need a better email client. You need a better email system.
Until next time ✌️