Inbox Zero Academy: Lesson 1

The Scan-Block-Ask system

Welcome to the first lesson of Inbox Zero Academy! We’re thrilled to have you here and can’t wait to help you bring sanity to your email life. By the end of this course, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to get your Inbox under control, and to get the most out of the email you send. We’re going to start strong today with a game-changing process used by the most efficient emailers out there, our three-step Scan-Block-Ask system:

Step 1: Scan

Scan your Inbox for emails with urgent and important items, and take care of them first thing in the morning. Then, close your email and work on your top priorities.

Step 2: Block

Block 30 to 60 minutes later in the day to process your non-urgent and less important emails. Having a set time in your calendar will help you stay focused on your tasks and ensures that you won’t miss or forget about emails.

Step 3: Ask

Ask yourself if clearing your Inbox is the best use of time right now. Do this every time you are in your email and every time you think about opening your email. If the answer is no, wait until the next block of time that you scheduled for email.

Action Steps:

This is one of the hardest lesson in this program (I know, “and they spring this on me day 1...really?” ) because it’s asking you to make new habits and break old ones. To make it easier, do a practice run with the Scan-Block-Ask system the next time you open your Inbox, and don’t forget to add blocks of time for email into your calendar!

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