The Email Monster Under Your Bed
Okay, let's be real for a sec. How much time do you actually spend staring at your inbox, feeling that little knot of dread in your stomach? For one of our besties in the workshop, it was a whopping hour and a half every single day. Can you even imagine what else you could be doing with that time? Like, learning a new TikTok dance, perfecting your sourdough starter, or just staring at a wall and feeling peaceful? The problem isn't just that there are a ton of emails. It's that we're often just letting them pile up like a messy pile of laundry, hoping they'll magically sort themselves. We need a system, people! A way to actually deal with this digital beast instead of letting it eat our precious hours.
Key Strategies for Email Management
Okay, bestie, let's talk about how to actually get your inbox from a dumpster fire to a zen garden. This isn't about pretending everything is sunshine and rainbows; it's about getting real with your emails so they stop stealing your precious brain power.
Taming the Inbox Beast with Filters
Think of filters like your personal email bouncers. They decide who gets in, where they go, and when you even have to look at them. It’s your secret weapon to stop drowning.
Filters are Your BFFs: Seriously, these are the cheat codes to spending less time staring at your screen. You can tell Gmail to automatically sort emails based on who sent them, what words are in them, or a million other things.
Labels are Your Superpowers: Labels are like fancy folders. They let you make different piles for different kinds of emails.
Must-Have Labels for Your Sanity:
Waiting On: For when you're waiting for someone else to do their part.
Take Action: For the stuff you actually need to do.
Complete: For when you've crushed it and it's done.
Archive: For all the old stuff you don't need to see but don't want to delete. Think old projects or clients you've moved on from.
Newsletters? Bye Felicia (for now):
Make a filter just for newsletters.
Maybe a special one for your favorite newsletters from friends.
Tell them to "skip the inbox" so your main inbox stays clean.
Set aside time once a week or every two weeks to actually read them. No more daily distractions!
Clients and Important People:
Filter emails by who sent them. Make a special label for your clients or people you really need to hear from.
This way, their emails won't get lost in the chaos.
Making Your Workflow Flow with Notion and Zapier
Now, let's get fancy. We're talking about making your computer do the work for you.
Tasks on Autopilot: Tools like Zapier can take emails with certain labels (like "Add to Notion" or "Take Action") and automatically create tasks in your to-do list app, like Notion. It’s like magic, but it’s just smart tech.
Keeping Your CRM Clean: This also helps make sure important info from emails gets into your customer tracking system without you having to type it all in again. It’s about staying connected without the grunt work.
Gmail Filters: Your Inbox's New Best Friend
Okay, bestie, let's talk about Gmail filters. Seriously, these things are like the secret sauce to not drowning in emails. They're basically little robots you set up to sort your mail before it even hits your main inbox. Think of it like having a super organized assistant who knows exactly where everything goes.
Why they're a game-changer: Filters let you tell Gmail, "Hey, if an email is from this person or has this word in it, put it over there." This means you're not scrolling through a million things to find what actually matters. It’s like magic for your inbox, but, like, real magic.
Labels are your new folders: And within those filters, you'll use "labels." Labels are like super-powered folders that can stick to an email. You can have a label for "Waiting On," which is for all those emails where you're waiting for someone else to get back to you. Then there's "Take Action" for stuff you gotta do ASAP. And "Complete" for when you've totally crushed it. Don't forget "Archive" for all the old stuff you want to keep but don't need to see every day. It’s all about making your inbox a place of power, not panic.
Taming the Newsletter Beast
Newsletters can be a whole other level of inbox chaos, right? But we've got a hack for that too. You can create a filter specifically for newsletters. And get this – you can even make a sub-filter for "friends' newsletters" so you don't miss out on what your pals are up to. The best part? You can tell these filters to "skip the inbox." That means they go straight to their label, keeping your main inbox clean and calm. Then, you can set aside a specific time, maybe once a week, to actually read them. No more getting distracted by them every single day! It's about being intentional with your time, not letting your inbox run the show.
Workflow Integration with Notion and Zapier
Okay, so imagine this: you're drowning in emails, right? But what if some of those emails could automatically turn into to-do list items or update your important contacts? That's where the magic of tools like Zapier or Make comes in, and it's seriously a game-changer.
Making Tasks Happen on Their Own: You can set things up so that when an email gets a special label, like "Add to Notion" or "Take Action," BAM! A new task pops up in your project manager, like Notion. No more copying and pasting, just pure automation.
Keeping Your Contacts Fresh: This also means that when you get an email from a new client, or one with important info, it can automatically update your contact list or your fancy Notion database. It's like having a personal assistant who never sleeps, making sure you don't miss a beat with your important people.
Emailed with equal measures of love, rage, appreciation, & respect
Reclaiming Your Time and Sanity
Seriously, this is the whole point, right? It's not just about making your inbox look pretty. It's about getting back hours of your life! Imagine what you could do with all that extra time. You could actually work on the big stuff, the stuff that actually moves your business forward, instead of just drowning in a sea of "reply alls." Or, you know, take a breath, grab a coffee, maybe even stare out the window for a minute. Your brain needs that!
How These Tips Actually Help You
Less Stress, More Doing: When your inbox isn't a black hole of doom, you feel less anxious. That means you can actually focus and get things done without that nagging feeling that you're forgetting something important.
Focus on What Matters: These tricks help you see what's actually important. No more digging through junk to find that one email from your biggest client.
Your Inner Child Will Thank You: Seriously, imagine your inner child, the one who just wants to play and create. This stuff gives them the space to do that because you're not bogged down by endless emails.
These tips from the workshop are like a secret weapon for your email. They're not just about organizing; they're about giving you your time back so you can actually live your life and do the work you love.
Emailed with equal measures of love, rage, appreciation, & respect
Ready to Actually Fix Your Inbox?
Join me live on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 11:00am PT for the Get Your (Email) House In Order Workshop.
We'll spend 60 minutes implementing these exact strategies together. You'll leave with:
Filters and labels set up and working
A newsletter system that keeps your inbox clean
A clear workflow for routing emails into actual tasks
A 5-minute daily maintenance habit that keeps it all running
Workshop: $45
Want extra support? Add a Get Shit Done Session for $155 (max 2 per person) where we can tackle your specific email chaos together.
Bring your coffee. I'll bring the checklists and live implementation. You'll leave lighter.
Emailed with equal measures of love, rage, appreciation, & respect
