How to Take Back Control of Your Inbox

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In this episode…

Taking back control of your inbox might be the most important productivity shift you make as a leader. 

Have you noticed how email has transformed from a helpful tool into the central focus of your workday? That subtle shift has massive consequences for your effectiveness, focus, and the example you set for your team.

In this actionable One Simple Thing episode, I tackle the modern challenge of email addiction that's plaguing knowledge workers everywhere. We've normalized checking messages before breakfast, during meetings, and sometimes even in the bathroom! 

This constant reactivity comes with serious costs: increased anxiety, decision fatigue, fragmented attention, and ultimately, lower quality work. As leaders, we're not just managing our own productivity – we're modeling behaviors that our teams will likely adopt.

The solution doesn't require complex systems or productivity hacks. I share four straightforward strategies that have transformed how I handle over 30 emails in under 10 minutes most mornings. 

You'll learn how to establish strategic checkpoints throughout your day, implement a quick-response system, block focused time for thoughtful replies, and set clear expectations with colleagues. 

The key insight? 

Email should serve your priorities, not the other way around.

This small shift delivers outsized benefits: 

• reduced stress 
• improved focus 
• better work quality
• and the powerful example of intentional leadership. 

Small steps truly can lead to big changes. 

Curious?

🎧 Listen now and take back control of your day...

Test out implementing just one of these strategies this week and notice the difference in your day. 

I'd love to hear how it transforms your approach – connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know your results!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to Leading People with me, gerry Marais,
this week.
It's One Simple Thing, where ineach episode, I share a quick,
actionable tip to help you bringout the best in yourself and
others.
One Simple Thing is created foryoung leaders, but hey, us

(00:28):
older folks can still learn athing or two.
Ask my dog.
He's learned a few new tricksrecently.
Here's a question for youwhat's the first thing you do
when you start your workday, Ifyou're in any kind of
knowledge-based role?
Your answer might be I check myemails or messages, and hey, I

(00:49):
get it.
We've been trained to do this.
But here's the thing Unlessemail is your most important
task, or your job literallyrevolves around responding to
emails, it may not be the bestway to start your day.
Today, I want to show you how tostop letting your inbox run
your day and start running yourinbox.

(01:12):
20 or 30 years ago, email was atool that helped us get things
done.
Now it is the work for manypeople, and that's a problem,
because email has slowly creptinto every corner of our lives.
We read emails before breakfast, during meetings and sometimes

(01:38):
in the bathroom.
Email is now a source ofconstant reactivity, and that
comes with consequences Anxiety,decision fatigue, poor focus
and lower quality work.
As a leader, you're not justmanaging your own inbox, you're

(02:02):
modeling how others shouldmanage theirs.
Managing your own inbox, you'remodelling how others should
manage theirs.
So let's flip the script.

(02:23):
Let's make email serve you, notconstantly.
Here are four things you cantest out for yourself.
Number one block time in yourcalendar to check and respond to
emails.
I suggest that you set threecheckpoints in your day

(02:44):
Mid-morning, say, around 10.30.
Mid-afternoon, around 2 or 3o'clock and at the end of your
workday, around 5 or 6 o'clock.
During your first check, dealwith quick replies immediately.
For longer responses you canflag the email and assign it to
what I'm calling your afternoonprocessing.

(03:06):
Block Number two use a systemmy own method.
I go through around 30 plusemails in around or under 10
minutes most mornings.
I respond fast to what's easy,I flag those mails that need
more time and I archive ordelete the rest.

(03:27):
Number three Block a dedicatedhour in the afternoon for
thoughtful responses.
I suggest just after lunch,from 2 to 3 pm, where you take
no meetings.
If you finish early it's abonus.
Go take a short walk.
It's good for your brain afterfocused work.

(03:49):
Number four Set expectationswith your team, colleagues or
clients.
One easy way to do this is touse a friendly out-of-office
message or auto-reply to letpeople know you're not
constantly checking your inbox,because you're either in
meetings, on a training courseor doing deep work and perhaps a

(04:16):
bonus tip.
Number five stay intentional.
Even if you do need to checkyour mails more often, it's you
who decides when and where, notyour inbox.
So let's recap this one smallshift gives you back control of

(04:39):
your day, reduces anxiety andoverwhelm, improves focus,
results and shows your team whatintentional leadership looks
like.
You get more done in less timeand you're more present when
your people need you.
I'd say you've got this now, sogo do it and set an example for

(05:02):
your team.
In future episodes I'll addressseveral other ways in which you,
as a leader, can get evenbetter at dealing with emails,
and that's another One simplething.
Thanks for tuning in.
Remember, small steps can leadto big changes.

(05:25):
Test out this one simple thingand notice how it transforms
your day.
Let me know how you get on.
Reach out on LinkedIn andconnect with me.
Mention the podcast and ifyou'd like to learn more One

(05:46):
Simple Things, then subscribe tothis podcast on your favorite
podcast channel and follow ourLinkedIn Leading People page.
In our next episode of OneSimple Thing, we'll explore
another easy way to be a greatleader by bringing out the best

(06:07):
in yourself and those around you.
And in between, you can checkout one of my longer
conversations with leadingpeople about yes, you've guessed
it leading people.
So until then, keep exploringand stay curious.