Email overwhelm is a real issue, and I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be this way. After listening to productivity coach Mariana Vieira‘s recent talk on inbox management, I realized how many of us are drowning in digital messages without a life raft in sight.
Let’s face it: your inbox isn’t just a communication tool—it’s where tasks, assignments, and important conversations live. Yet most of us treat it like a junk drawer, shoving everything in and never cleaning it out. The result? That familiar fight-or-flight response whenever we see a new message arrive.
Your inbox is not a storage unit, and treating it like one is killing your productivity. What resonated most from Mariana’s advice was her practical, no-nonsense approach to fixing this common problem in just 10 minutes.
The Clean Slate Approach
The first step Mariana suggests is brilliantly simple: start fresh. Instead of spending hours sorting through thousands of messages (which you’ll never do), create a new folder called “Old Archive” or “Deal With Later” and move everything into it.
This might seem like cheating, but it’s genius. You instantly hit inbox zero without the mental gymnastics of deciding what to keep. Everything is still there if you need it, just not staring you in the face every time you check your email.
I tried this approach last week and immediately felt a sense of relief. The psychological weight of hundreds of unread messages vanished, and I could finally think clearly about my communication needs.
Creating a System That Actually Works
With a clean inbox, the next step is to build a simple organizational system. The keyword here is simple. As Mariana points out, you don’t need 20 different categories—that’s how people get stuck organizing instead of doing.
For work emails, Mariana recommends:
- An admin folder for general business matters
- A yearly project folder system
- Separate folders for in-progress and closed projects
What I found particularly useful was her suggestion to use visual markers or symbols to highlight projects needing immediate attention. This creates a visual priority system that helps you focus on what truly matters.
Emails Are Just Tasks in Disguise
The most eye-opening part of Mariana’s talk was her framing of emails as tasks. This simple shift in perspective explains why inboxes become overwhelming—they’re filled with decisions waiting to be made and actions waiting to be taken.
Instead of letting emails sit there creating decision paralysis, Mariana suggests:
- Turn action-required emails into actual tasks in your task manager
- Use tools that let you forward emails directly to your task list
- Schedule these tasks like any other work item
This approach separates communication from action items, making both more manageable and effective. I’ve started using this method with my task manager, and it’s dramatically reduced my email anxiety.
The Power of Routine
The final piece of Mariana’s advice focuses on creating an email routine. The most organized people aren’t those with fancy systems—they’re the ones with consistent habits.
Rather than checking email constantly throughout the day, schedule specific times for processing messages. This might be twice daily or hourly, depending on your role. The important thing is having a plan instead of reacting to new notifications as they appear.
I’ve implemented a three-times-daily check system, and it’s freed up significant mental space for focused work. The key is sticking to your schedule and trusting that anything truly urgent will find another way to reach you.
Maintaining this system requires minimal effort—just a quick weekly review to ensure nothing slipped through the cracks, and an annual cleanup to refresh your folders.
Freedom From Inbox Anxiety
Email isn’t going anywhere, but our relationship with it can change dramatically. After implementing Mariana’s system, I’ve found myself spending less time managing messages and more time on meaningful work.
The beauty of this approach is its simplicity. You don’t need special apps or technical skills—just a willingness to break old habits and establish new ones. In just 10 minutes, you can transform your inbox from a source of stress to a tool that actually serves you.
If your inbox has been controlling your life, I encourage you to try these steps. The freedom from digital clutter is worth every minute invested in creating a system that works for you, not against you.
Angela Ruth
My name is Angela Ruth. I aim to help you learn how Calendar can help you manage your time, boost your productivity, and spend your days working on things that matter, both personally and professionally. Here's to improving all your calendars and becoming the person you are destined to become!