Avoiding Your Inbox? Try This 10-Minute Reset Instead.

Let’s be real: email can feel like a digital avalanche.

You peek in to check one thing, and suddenly you’re buried under newsletters, client questions, collab requests, receipts, reminders, and whatever that “👀 Just checking in!” message is supposed to mean.

If you’ve ever avoided your inbox like it was a basket of unfolded laundry—just know, I’ve been there. And when our inboxes start to overflow, the consequences are real. Important emails get missed. Opportunities slip through the cracks. That vendor deadline? Oops. That potential client? Ghosted by accident. Worst of all, we start to feel disheveled and behind before the day even begins.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Let's Stop Avoiding Your Email

Today I’m walking you through the exact process I use to triage my inbox when it starts to spiral. It’s not fancy. It’s not tech-heavy. But it’s a game-changer—because it helps you decide, quickly and clearly, what to do with every email in front of you.

Step 1: Get in the Right Headspace

Before you click a single message, take a breath and shift your mindset: for the next 10 minutes, you are not the founder, coach, creative, or CEO. You are your own executive assistant—and a darn good one. You’re not here to do the work. You’re here to protect your time and attention like a bodyguard with a clipboard.

Then, set a 10-minute timer and write down how many emails you’re starting with. This is now a game. Your only job is to crush that number. Get ready to smash.

Step 2: Start With the Easy Wins

⚡ First pass: DELETE. Ruthlessly. Fast. Think like a bouncer: “Not on the list, not getting in.”

⚡ Sort by sender. This makes repeat offenders obvious—if a brand, bot, or former fling keeps spamming you, it’s time to draw the line.

⚡ See a pattern of inbox harassment? Unsubscribe them out of your life. Your attention is limited and vital. Only top-tier content gets to stay.

Once you’ve cleared the junk, then—and only then—start looking at the emails that need more brainpower.

Step 3: Triage the Rest Like a Pro

Here’s where we narrow the focus and apply my 6-question flow to each remaining email:

1. Am I in the “To” line?

If you’re only CC’d or BCC’d, you’re probably not responsible for replying. Skim it if you want—but don’t take on work that isn’t yours.

2. Was it sent to a big email list?

Newsletters, sales blasts, group invites… unless it aligns with a goal or inspires immediate action, archive or unsubscribe.

3. Does it align with a quarterly goal I set?

If it supports something on your strategic radar, give it your attention. If not, it’s a shiny distraction.

4. Is a response or action required?

If the answer is no—great. Let it go.

5. Can someone else do it?

Delegate like a queen. Just because it landed in your inbox doesn’t mean you’re the chosen one.

6. Will it take less than 1 minute?

If yes, knock it out. That dopamine hit is real.

Here’s the visual I use to guide this decision-making process:📌 Screenshot it. Save it. Stick it to your wall. Use it every time.

How to handle that email you're avoiding.

A Real-Life Example (Because Some Emails Are Tricky)

Here’s one that pulled at my heartstrings:

A friend I admire invited me to be a guest on her brand-new podcast. It totally aligned with one of my quarterly goals—get featured on podcasts—but the application form had layers. It was going to take more than two minutes to answer thoughtfully.

So I didn’t try to tackle it mid-triage. Instead, I flagged it and dropped it into my task planner for a day when I had more brain space. That’s the power of this process: you don’t ghost good opportunities—you give them the time they deserve later.

Bonus Round: Celebrate Your Wins

When that 10-minute timer goes off, stop. Look at how many emails you crushed. Even if you didn’t clear the whole inbox, you made progress. And progress is the goal. Not inbox zero. Not perfection. Just improvement.

Treat it like a game. You vs. the inbox. Post your number. Brag a little.

In fact…

Drop Your Score in the Comments 💬

Tell me: how many emails did you triage in 10 minutes?

Then do it again next week. Build the muscle. Get faster. Feel clearer. (You might even start liking email… okay, let’s not get carried away.)

Want Help Building This Into Your Routine?

Email triage is built right into our weekly rhythm in ActionPlanner, my 1-hour virtual session for solopreneurs. We:

• Plan the week

• Reset our focus

• And yes—clean out our inboxes together

  
  

So if you want built-in structure and a little accountability? I got you.

(You can check it out here).

TL;DR? Try This:

✅ Play executive assistant for 10 minutes

✅ Smash the delete button first

✅ Triage the rest using the chart

✅ Celebrate your email body count

✅ Comment your wins + do it again next week

Your time and attention are gold. Let your inbox reflect that. 💅🏻

Your Sister in Kicking Ass,