The document discusses strategies for managing a large email inbox. It recommends following the "Inbox Zero" approach of quickly deleting, delegating, archiving, responding to, doing, or deferring each email using the acronym DDARDD. This allows handling emails in batches during fixed intervals rather than letting the inbox control your schedule. The key is to get emails out of the inbox and onto to-do lists to better prioritize tasks.

1. How I Command my
Inbox
(or at least try to)

2. Hi! I’m Bart.

3. I work at web agency Netlash.
... and a few other companies:

4. I get a fair amount of e-mail.

5. I get a fair amount of e-mail.
average: 300 / day
(without the spam)

6. 300

7. actionable
items

8. a day

9. If I spend 5 minutes
on each mail...
... then I would need 25 hours
a day just for e-mail.

10. Actually...
My inbox is probably filling up
as we speak.

12. Stress!

13. This is how I cope.

15. This is how I cope.
(Based on the Inbox Zero strategy of Merlin Mann.
See: http://video.google.com/videoplay?
docid=973149761529535925# )

16. DDARDD

17. DDARDD
Delete

18. DDARDD
Delete
Delegate

19. DDARDD
Delete
Delegate
Archive

20. DDARDD
Delete
Delegate
Archive
Respond

21. DDARDD
Delete
Delegate
Archive
Respond
Do

22. DDARDD
Delete
Delegate
Archive
Respond
Do
Defer

23. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

24. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

26. Delete
Lots of mails are just ‘FYI’.
Delete them at once.

27. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

29. Delegate
Send immediately to the right
person.
With a clear ‘call to action’.

30. Delegate
You need to be able to trust
the other person.

31. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

33. Archive
Don’t use folders.
Use a performant Search.
( *cough*Gmail*cough*)

34. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

35. Respond
If you can answer without
extra work, do it.

36. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

38. Do
If you can do it immediately,
do it immediately.

39. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

40. Defer
Get it out of your inbox.
Put it on a to-do list.
Plan it!

41. 1. Delete
2. Delegate
3. Archive
4. Respond
5. Do
6. Defer

42. Extra advice
Handle things once!
Make snap decisions, or defer.
Use technology (filters).

43. Command your
Inbox

44. Don’t let your inbox control you
Don’t keep it open.
Set fix intervals to handle e-mail.

45. Remember...

46. Remember...
Your inbox is a to-do list
where other people can put
items on...

47. Remember...
Your inbox is a to-do list
where other people can put
items on...
Unless you control it.

48. Good luck!

49. twitter.com/netlash
bart@netlash.com
www.netlash.com