Read Each Email Only Once
The 4D Method to Take Back Control of Your Inbox
If your inbox feels like it’s running your life, here’s a simple method to process emails quickly and efficiently: the 4Ds.
Delete – If an email is just information with no further action, read it, then delete it. Only file it away if it’s truly worth keeping; never let it sit in your main inbox.
Delegate – If the task isn’t yours, pass it along. Share the context, the goal, and the deadline, then archive or delete the email.
Defer – If it takes more than 2 minutes, schedule it. Add it to your to-do list (for small tasks) or block time in your calendar (for bigger ones).
Do – If it takes 2 minutes or less, get it done immediately. Then archive or delete the email.
By applying the 4Ds, you’ll only read each email once. No more wasting time reopening the same message and wondering what to do with it.
Starting today, process every new email with the 4Ds and watch your inbox finally shrink instead of grow.
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Love this. There are many takes on this but I really like the idea of only touching an email once. Not always possible for me but the system that helps me is that I've got two categories set up with corresponding folders names the same. The first is called 'Signal' and the second is called 'Noise'...
My time is largely spent on the signal. Again, not always possible but it helps me tremendously. 🙏