Email was supposed to make life easier. Instead, for most of us, it’s become whack-a-mole on steroids.
We open one message to handle it quickly, and suddenly five more pop up. Before we know it, hours vanish. The average professional receives over 120 emails a day. Each interruption costs an estimated 23 minutes to regain focus. And let’s be honest—email is often just other people’s to-do lists dumped on your plate.
Email isn’t going away. But you can take back control. Here are seven practical, no-fluff strategies to make email serve you instead of owning your day.
1. Do a Full Notification Cleanse
Go through every app on every device—phone, tablet, computer—and ask: “Does this notification serve me or distract me?” I run my entire stack through Proton (Mail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Authenticator) because it’s privacy-first and encrypted. No cross-app pings. Turn off email notifications completely unless they’re truly urgent. When you open your inbox, everything will still be there—no need for constant alerts.
2. Schedule Dedicated Check-In Windows
Pick 2–3 specific times a day to process email (e.g., 10 AM, 2 PM, end of day). Close the tab between. Train your team, clients, and colleagues with an auto-reply: “I check email at set times to stay in deep focus and serve you better.” If your role demands constant access, limit it to defined blocks anyway—most “urgent” emails aren’t.
3. Unsubscribe Ruthlessly
If you haven’t opened a newsletter in 30 days, it’s gone. Most providers have one-click unsubscribe—use it. Before signing up for anything new (even for a coupon), ask: “Will I read and act on this?” Be intentional. Cluttered inboxes steal peace.
4. Be Concise When You Send
Short subject lines. 3–5 sentence body max. Get to the point, stick to the point. Use AI to draft tight replies, then personalize. It saves everyone time—including you.
5. Quick Questions = Text or Slack
Train people: one-sentence answers go to text or Slack, not email. This one change saves hours weekly for me and my clients.
6. Avoid First/Last/Bored Checks
No email first thing (start with Scripture, goals, or movement). No email before bed (protect sleep and peace). Never when bored—pick up a book instead.
7. Get an Accountability Partner
Tell one person your daily email limit. Check in weekly (or daily if needed). The fear of admitting you failed keeps you honest far better than willpower alone.
Your Next Step
Pick one strategy. Commit to it for 7 days starting tomorrow. Leave a comment below with which one you chose and how it went—I read every one.