How My Calm Inbox Cured My Inbox Anxiety
Read Time: 4 min
Calm inbox is the way to be more productive with your inbox.
My full calm inbox system for you to copy.
This system removed my inbox anxiety and increased my productivity.
I was a slave to my inbox, constantly fearing the next "bling!” in the top right of my screen.
What's wrong this time?
What is threatening my business now?
Did I do something wrong?
I'm glad I can open my inbox today without that feeling of terror.
I started every workday in panic because the first item on the list was processing my inbox.
My inbox magically filled overnight, and every single email was urgent or critical.
I wasn't able to decide which message needed my attention first.
Then, I built myself a calm inbox, and all the anxiety was gone.
I was able to focus again.
I was able to distinguish the critical from the loud messages.
And my productivity went through the roof.
A calm inbox is a system for handling emails focused on efficiency and calmness of mind.
Most email clients are designed for quick replies and constant availability.
This usually doesn't result in productive, efficient, or effective processing.
And none of these clients take their users' emotional states into account.
I was shocked when I first heard that it takes 23 minutes for humans to refocus after an interruption.
I challenge you to count how often you're interrupted today.
Every notification you receive counts as one interruption.
Then, do the math to determine how much time you spent refocusing today.
N Interruptions * 23 min = Time Refocusing
Benefits Of A Calm Inbox
I didn't believe changing my inbox system would make such a big difference.
But the effect was noticeable immediately.
1. Reduced Stress
My stress was reduced significantly.
I wasn't interrupted anymore every 5-10 minutes.
I didn't have to handle everyone's problems all the time anymore.
I could focus on a single task for 2 hours straight.
2. Feeling Empowered And In Control
I got my work done again because I didn't need to solve everyone's problems.
It felt so empowering and fulfilling to create something of value.
I was bringing my business forward again instead of only extinguishing fires.
3. Increased Productivity
Of course, being able to finish stuff means I'm more productive.
And the best thing is, it didn't even cost any effort to quadruple my productivity.
All it took was to reduce the effort on things that don't matter.
4. Problems Solve Themself
With my Calm Inbox System, most of the problems people came to me for vanished.
When I opened my inbox for my daily check, half of them told me that their problem was resolved by now.
So I could remove that previous "urgent” email from my to-do list.
This also helped me to counter one of my accidental diminisher leadership traits.
I was always too eager to provide my team with solutions right away.
I didn't give them time to figure it out on their own.
This led to them coming to me for a solution when they faced a problem.
Without thinking about a solution for themselves first.
So, by implementing my Calm Inbox System, I gave them their agency and responsibility back.
5. Communication Improves
When I rolled out my Calm Inbox System, I didn't notice that it was an investment in my team's future.
Communication is the key to a successful business.
By demanding better communication from everyone around me, collaboration improved.
There were fewer misunderstandings and errors.
And less time spent in communication and idle states.
I see a lot of AI assistants that help you write less emotionally loaded emails.
Through my calm inbox system, I don't need these AI assistants.
I'm no longer answering my emails when I'm stressed, anxious, or angered.
I answer my emails at a specific time when I'm calm and focused.
When I act from a place of calmness, I make better decisions, and solutions come easier to me.
This is why I no longer try to do everything immediately and as fast as possible.
I take my time for the few things that matter and have a greater impact.
Try it out yourself!
Here is my complete Calm Inbox System, ready for you to use.
My Calm Inbox System
You turn off all notifications and close your email client.
You only open your email client once to check your emails at the end of your day.
You only reply to the most urgent, most critical items that would:
Block another person from continuing their work.
And this work is providing value to the business.
And you're the only person who can provide them with what they need.
You set one 1-hour time block per week for processing the rest of your inbox.
You process the items that have a deadline within the next week.
You only process items within the 1-hour time block; everything else waits until next week.
You set an autoresponder telling your colleagues when to expect an answer.
The auto responder teaches them how to write their emails for faster processing.
Here is my auto-responder email template:
Schedule a call if something can't be solved with one answer.
It is not a priority if something is too wordy or complicated.
Answer with a TL;DR template that teaches the person how to communicate for their email to be processed.
Here is my TL;DR email template:
You use the same structure in the emails you send that you demand from everyone else.
Don't fear that people hate you for being less reachable and asking for better communication.
Most of your team will value you more for that exact reason.
They will thank you for the clarity, predictability, and efficiency you provide them.
Everyone who reacts negatively to this system acts from a mindset of fear, guilt, or shame.
So they cannot make sound decisions or judge the situation correctly.
And instead of finding solutions, they're making their problems your problems.
Everyone who can't handle this system is not worth working with.
Disclaimer:
This system only applies to written inter- and intra-company communication.
For everyone doing sales emails or handling customer support emails, this system doesn't work.
The difference for this group is that email is the work and, therefore, the priority.
For everyone else, email is a distraction from work and is not your priority.
Bonus System - WhatsApp Inbox
You can apply this system to any messaging platform, not just emails.
I use it in WhatsApp by moving all my contacts and groups into the Archive.
This way, I no longer see notifications, which means fewer distractions.
Once a week, I go through the archive and answer all the messages there.
Groups are usually not worth keeping track of if I don't have a specific stake in them.
The exception to the Archive rule is my five closest friends and family, for whom I want to be available.
Most of us spend 2 hours every day in our inbox.
With my Calm Inbox System, I reduced the time spent in my inbox to 2 hours a week.
If my inbox client did a good job, I would spend only 20 minutes per week in it.
I haven't found an email client yet, that truly supports a calm inbox and rethinks email from the ground up.
This would be something worth my money.
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Thanks for reading to the end!
You rock!
Cheers,
Marcel