Inbox Zero at work tips and tricks required.
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mcogilvie
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You clarify what you are going to do, often in consultation with peers and superiors. There are many successful organizations which offer opportunities for people to do work that is important to them, or rely on people to engage with the work which needs to be done, regardless of role or job description. It’s sometimes covered as “other duties as assigned” in job descriptions. Of course, there are organizations which are dysfunctional too. In either case, you ned to maintain a situational awareness of what is going on around you, and maintain clarity about what your contributions are.
ivanjay205
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I think the problem is bigger than this inbox zero goal. I do not your position, role, or the size/structure of the organization but to me there are a few projects here:
- Establish Job Descriptions. Even i not formal at least some outline, agreement, as to who is responsible for what
- Establish roles.... Accounting cannot do project managing or design, or construction. Roles are necessary even if in a company that does not believe in titles etc. People have to know what their job and contribution to the company is.
- Identify why you are using an email distribution list.... Is it really necessary?
Now specifically to your question.... A few ideas:
- Easiest one is to create subfolders with each of your names in it and convert it to a shared email box. We do that in our shared accounting folders. We have a few people handling Accounts Payable. They have a subfolder with their name on it so they can drag their email into their own subfolder for things they are managing and handle it as they need to organization wise. The parent folder is just a collective inbox (this is my way of enforcing them to do GTD without them knowing in a way lol).
- Outline some process about how to use the shared box or distribution group. If it is truly a distribution group everyone gets a copy. Why? If you dont need it can you simply delete or do you need to ensure someone handles it?
- Meet with the group of people that are part of this email distribution and have a 30 minute huddle on how to do this better and explain the difficulties you have with it.
mcogilvie
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Unless something is rather trivial, it goes into my calendar, my lists and/or my reference system. However, clarity is something I never maintain across all aspects of my life; it’s something I work toward every day.
Dear ivanjay205,
Thank you so much for your detailed reply.
Project 1: If I ask superiors for more clearity in the job descriptions: they say that we need to be more flexible and sort it out in the team.
They put the responsibilities back on the staff, because they have no sense of what work looks like.
Project 2: Because of open vacancies / colleques without the correct training, allot of times I execute work outside my role to keep the process going. When I discuss this with my superiors they say they are working on it. No extra reward possible for this...
Project 3: I can try to discuss this first with my colleaques, maybe it is possible that every role gets his own distribution list.
But when I previously discussed this with senior staff and superiors they said that it would be to complicated for other departments to reach out to us.
We previously even had a new colleaque that left the company because there was no clearity where he was responsible for.
The management / human resources said: take it or leave it.
" Outline some process about how to use the shared box or distribution group. If it is truly a distribution group everyone gets a copy. Why? If you dont need it can you simply delete or do you need to ensure someone handles it?"
I don't need to asure someone handles it because I am not a superior. When I clarify email from the distribution group and decide I am not going to do it, automatically I defere it in silence because the task or problem is still there. When you follow the GTD workflow it means that I am waiting for "someone else" to handle the task. This item will live inside your waiting for list untill it is completed. But because of the volume of email this list soon becomes overwelming and stopped with this. At this moment I only put things inside my waiting for list that I am waiting for myself. Things like "waiting for superior to approve travel expenses. ", "waiting for supplies from department X", "Waiting for company X to execute the work for the ticket I made" ec.
If I delete or archive an item above I will still think unconscious about it.
Things I will think of randomly: "Did someone already take a look at X?", "Is order X executed?", "Did someone already reply on X?"
Looking forward for some more feedback.
Best Regards,
Darkdepth
Thank you so much for your detailed reply.
Project 1: If I ask superiors for more clearity in the job descriptions: they say that we need to be more flexible and sort it out in the team.
They put the responsibilities back on the staff, because they have no sense of what work looks like.
Project 2: Because of open vacancies / colleques without the correct training, allot of times I execute work outside my role to keep the process going. When I discuss this with my superiors they say they are working on it. No extra reward possible for this...
Project 3: I can try to discuss this first with my colleaques, maybe it is possible that every role gets his own distribution list.
But when I previously discussed this with senior staff and superiors they said that it would be to complicated for other departments to reach out to us.
We previously even had a new colleaque that left the company because there was no clearity where he was responsible for.
The management / human resources said: take it or leave it.
" Outline some process about how to use the shared box or distribution group. If it is truly a distribution group everyone gets a copy. Why? If you dont need it can you simply delete or do you need to ensure someone handles it?"
I don't need to asure someone handles it because I am not a superior. When I clarify email from the distribution group and decide I am not going to do it, automatically I defere it in silence because the task or problem is still there. When you follow the GTD workflow it means that I am waiting for "someone else" to handle the task. This item will live inside your waiting for list untill it is completed. But because of the volume of email this list soon becomes overwelming and stopped with this. At this moment I only put things inside my waiting for list that I am waiting for myself. Things like "waiting for superior to approve travel expenses. ", "waiting for supplies from department X", "Waiting for company X to execute the work for the ticket I made" ec.
If I delete or archive an item above I will still think unconscious about it.
Things I will think of randomly: "Did someone already take a look at X?", "Is order X executed?", "Did someone already reply on X?"
Looking forward for some more feedback.
Best Regards,
Darkdepth
Last edited:
Does this team have any kind of shared workspace? It sounds to me like the tasks represented by these emails need to be moved to that shared workspace.
For example, if you had a Trello board, you could copy/paste the emails into Trello cards, and then delete the emails. If you could get the team to cooperate, you could take turns for that task--each person does it for the week, and they're duty-bound to finish all emails arriving before, say, noon on Friday. Then the next person, when they come in on Monday, start with the emails starting after noon on Friday and through the following week, until the next Friday noon.
Another alternative--and possibly less work--might be to create an email account for an imaginary person, with folders for email, and you can each log in to that account and choose which tasks you want to pick up. This of course assumes an email server and client interface that support that sort of thing.
My main point is that you need some sort of interface that the whole group can use to view and choose from the workload represented by the email, so that you then know what is yours, and then you can manage that in your own system. For my job, this is handled with a ticketing system.
There are other ways to break up the work--maybe each person does a certain category of task, maybe each person has "clients" and deals with emails from those people, something of the sort.
For example, if you had a Trello board, you could copy/paste the emails into Trello cards, and then delete the emails. If you could get the team to cooperate, you could take turns for that task--each person does it for the week, and they're duty-bound to finish all emails arriving before, say, noon on Friday. Then the next person, when they come in on Monday, start with the emails starting after noon on Friday and through the following week, until the next Friday noon.
Another alternative--and possibly less work--might be to create an email account for an imaginary person, with folders for email, and you can each log in to that account and choose which tasks you want to pick up. This of course assumes an email server and client interface that support that sort of thing.
My main point is that you need some sort of interface that the whole group can use to view and choose from the workload represented by the email, so that you then know what is yours, and then you can manage that in your own system. For my job, this is handled with a ticketing system.
There are other ways to break up the work--maybe each person does a certain category of task, maybe each person has "clients" and deals with emails from those people, something of the sort.
Dear Gardener,
Thank you for your feedback.
To make things more clear, I work myself with todoist..
I also import clarified emails and messages from the microsoft workspace into todoist.
But the problem is we work with multiple teams to deliver 24/7 occupation.
The superiors only work during the week from monday to friday and don't really assign people to certain tasks.
They only interact when urgent stuff needs to be solved by the team that is on duty (to clear their own deck) .
Also they will send email to the distribution group when orders are due and need attention, not assigning staff to actually execute this.
Inside the teams we have multiple roles (I am a technician) that are not clearly defined (no concrete boundries) by superiors and management.
Most of the time we have low occupation resulting in doing work from the other roles to keep things running.
This effect means I need to keep a situational awareness of what is going on across all roles, thats why I have to clarify all email from the distribution group so I don't miss anything.
Previously I tried to manage this with a "waiting_for_team" list, but I was not able to manage this list during my work hours.
So the result of not able to manage all this information is keeping allot of this inside my head instead of externalizing this into my GTD system.
Looking forward to some more feedback.
Best regards,
Darkdepth
Thank you for your feedback.
To make things more clear, I work myself with todoist..
I also import clarified emails and messages from the microsoft workspace into todoist.
But the problem is we work with multiple teams to deliver 24/7 occupation.
The superiors only work during the week from monday to friday and don't really assign people to certain tasks.
They only interact when urgent stuff needs to be solved by the team that is on duty (to clear their own deck) .
Also they will send email to the distribution group when orders are due and need attention, not assigning staff to actually execute this.
Inside the teams we have multiple roles (I am a technician) that are not clearly defined (no concrete boundries) by superiors and management.
Most of the time we have low occupation resulting in doing work from the other roles to keep things running.
This effect means I need to keep a situational awareness of what is going on across all roles, thats why I have to clarify all email from the distribution group so I don't miss anything.
Previously I tried to manage this with a "waiting_for_team" list, but I was not able to manage this list during my work hours.
So the result of not able to manage all this information is keeping allot of this inside my head instead of externalizing this into my GTD system.
Looking forward to some more feedback.
Best regards,
Darkdepth
Yep, that's all pretty much what I assumed. I'm unclear on why my suggestions wouldn't fit in that scenario?
Dear Gardener,
Having a shared workspace doesn't fix all of the challenges, also allot of email is regarding work that is executed by other companies.
The only persons that can do this are our superiors, but they lack in knowledge and time to do this assigning work.
The superiors are not in the position because they have the knowledge and leadership skills, they are in the position because they know the right people or finished an education at a certain level. At this moment we don't have a manager who directs the superiors, to make things even more complicated haha. At my work we also work with an ERP ticket system but here we also have multiple challenges because planners and other staff is changing role so rapidly.
Maybe I have to search for another company that is more GTD friendly.
Best regards,
Darkdepth
Having a shared workspace doesn't fix all of the challenges, also allot of email is regarding work that is executed by other companies.
The only persons that can do this are our superiors, but they lack in knowledge and time to do this assigning work.
The superiors are not in the position because they have the knowledge and leadership skills, they are in the position because they know the right people or finished an education at a certain level. At this moment we don't have a manager who directs the superiors, to make things even more complicated haha. At my work we also work with an ERP ticket system but here we also have multiple challenges because planners and other staff is changing role so rapidly.
Maybe I have to search for another company that is more GTD friendly.
Best regards,
Darkdepth
ivanjay205
Registered
This sounds like a really tough environment. Is it a young company, a small company?
My advice would be not to ask for permission to fix these things nor to expect any reward out of it. The reward will be structure in your day, peace in your time outside of work, etc. And if they really see improvements maybe they will do the right thing after the fact but based on the picture you are painting it doesnt seem like it.
But I think between you and your colleagues you will need to take it upon yourself to improve it.
As to GTD if it didnt pertain to you simply delete it. Being ruthless about incoming work is important. however, at the same time for the comapny sake there should be a method to claim or release work to ensure everyone doesnt drop it.
Just curious, not asking you to name a company, but what type of company is it?
Dear ivanjay205,
Thank you for your reply, dropping incoming work that is not assigned sounds like bruteforcing the system to change.
At one moment superiors have to change the system, because of commands from higher management ( results that are not in line with company expectations). I work at a very large company, production / research work with multiple factories and facilities across the globe.
Doesn't really matter what branch...
"As to GTD if it didnt pertain to you simply delete it."
Sounds like a good plan to me, but how do I cope with colleagues that will say "didn't you receive email x about x yesterday, why you didn't do anything about this..."?
I think two things are most likely to happen when I do above: Some will talk to management and say "I have to do everything, the others don't do anything about the incoming email..." and others will join me into this new way of work and let things escalate untill the supervision will be contacted.
Maybe if the last thing happens enough times things will be changed...
Looking forward to some more feedback about this subject: GTD and unclear accountabilities when working in shift teams with multiple unclear roles.
Best regards,
Darkdepth
Thank you for your reply, dropping incoming work that is not assigned sounds like bruteforcing the system to change.
At one moment superiors have to change the system, because of commands from higher management ( results that are not in line with company expectations). I work at a very large company, production / research work with multiple factories and facilities across the globe.
Doesn't really matter what branch...
"As to GTD if it didnt pertain to you simply delete it."
Sounds like a good plan to me, but how do I cope with colleagues that will say "didn't you receive email x about x yesterday, why you didn't do anything about this..."?
I think two things are most likely to happen when I do above: Some will talk to management and say "I have to do everything, the others don't do anything about the incoming email..." and others will join me into this new way of work and let things escalate untill the supervision will be contacted.
Maybe if the last thing happens enough times things will be changed...
Looking forward to some more feedback about this subject: GTD and unclear accountabilities when working in shift teams with multiple unclear roles.
Best regards,
Darkdepth
dtj
Registered
I’d start by thinning the herd a bit. Get off the distro lists that simply aren’t useful, and you were on them as a courtesy. Be ruthless. Then start filtering stuff from there. Create an inbox for important emails, like coming from: your boss and you specifically in the to: line. Maybe check for your name in the body of the message. Create an inbox for pure mailing lists that don’t contribute much to situational awareness. The rest end up in your straight inbox. Tweak things for your situation, happiness, and sustainability. Remember that your choices are always easily reversible. So if you take the Irish Exit on mailing list, and it becomes a thing, get back on the list. If someone is assigning work on a widely broadcast mailing list, perhaps suggest that there are better ways and place for that to occur, rather than digging through a haystack.
The way I'm seeing this:
- You (meaning the company/teams, not you personally) have a swirling mishmash of tasks and communications, going to everyone by email.
- But you have zero structure for communicating who is working on what.
- And presumably also zero structure for confirming that you don't have multiple people working on the same thing.
- And in fact zero structure for allowing you to create a list or summary of the open tasks.
Yes?
How much work would it be to create that list? Are there hundreds of tasks per day, so that just listening them would take someone all day? Or would it take a lot less time than that?
If, for example, there were just a dozen or so tasks per day, someone (you?) could maintain a rolling list of the tasks, and email that list to, well, everybody. That would at least define the workload to something glanceable.
Example:
======
CURRENT ACTIVE WORKLOAD:
Added 10/25/23:
Widget problem, email from John Smith 10:15am.
Gadget delivery failure, email from Jane Smith, 11:20am (darkdepth)
Added 10/24/23:
Blah
Blah blah
Added 10/23/23:
Blah de blah de blah
======
and so on--a list of tasks/topics, day after day after day, newest on top. Maybe you cut it off at thirty days. When you take on a task, you add your name to that item, as above with the Gadget task.
This is, I agree, INCREDIBLY primitive. But it at least would make it ultra clear what YOU are working on, so that no one can claim that they thought you were working on a specific task.
Now, if there is any shared editable team space at all, anywhere, this could be a document, and other people could add their names to tasks. Again, incredibly primitive. But even if only a subset of the people on the teams cooperate with this, you and those people have created some small amount of structure.
It sounds like you are CC's on a lot of items that you do not necessarily have to take action on. I created a folder called CConly and created an Outlook rule that, with the exception of emails from certain senders, any email in which my name does not appear in the TO line, they flow to this folder. I then can more easily concentrate on my IN box and read the emails in my CC folder once a day.
TesTeq
Registered
@darkdepth Two possible answers:
1. There was nothing actionable in this email.
2. I was sure that you've got it done, dear colleague. Haven't you?
Thank you so much for all usefull tips and tricks,
@dtj Last weekly review I used the delete key allot more in outlook, its now empty again
Trying to track everything without receiving any credit for it is not worth it anymore, better to have my attention on the tasks I can/ will influance.
@boomer70 I am not gonna try to use filters, because I don't want to have a bomb exploding in a second folder. Plus I already have enough inboxes.
Also liked the tip @Gardener "(Use your name in subject) to show others in the distribution list that you take on the task".
@TesTeq "I think you are right, before I was taking on tasks too easily without looking at my next actions list. Because I allways thought that an answer like 2. was not done.."
Best regards,
Darkdepth
@dtj Last weekly review I used the delete key allot more in outlook, its now empty again
Trying to track everything without receiving any credit for it is not worth it anymore, better to have my attention on the tasks I can/ will influance.
@boomer70 I am not gonna try to use filters, because I don't want to have a bomb exploding in a second folder. Plus I already have enough inboxes.
Also liked the tip @Gardener "(Use your name in subject) to show others in the distribution list that you take on the task".
@TesTeq "I think you are right, before I was taking on tasks too easily without looking at my next actions list. Because I allways thought that an answer like 2. was not done.."
Best regards,
Darkdepth
ivanjay205
Registered
Another trick is I used to forward my emails often into my omnifocus inbox. What I learned that was essentially double processing it. I would move the email, and have to remind myself what it is and clarify later. Now, I try to clarify right out of my inbox. It slows down my inbox processing but it greatly speeds up clarifying and prevents double processing on my end
Hello Ivanjay205,
I clarify emails inside the email inbox, when the email is actionable it goes into my calendar or todoist next action list.
All my inboxes are listed inside my weekly review.
@dtj Last week I was more ruthless on the incoming stuff, I felt more in control even when things didn't go as planned.
Best regard,
Darkdepth.