9 steps to 'Marie Kondo' your inbox!

In the world of lean thinking, we're all about efficiency, clarity, and creating value with less waste. And let's be honest, few things scream waste and inefficiency louder than an overstuffed inbox. Whether it's work emails, promotions, newsletters, or those "funny" chain mails from your aunt, our inboxes can become digital black holes.

But what if we told you that you could Marie Kondo your inbox, transforming it into a place that sparks joy and supports your lean lifestyle? 

Let’s dive in and explore how you can achieve an inbox that's as streamlined and organised as LeanPac travel bags.

Step 1: Visualise Your Ideal Inbox

The first step in any lean journey is to understand what good looks like. Picture your ideal inbox. Is it empty at the end of each day? Does it contain only a handful of emails that truly matter? Visualising this ideal state sets a clear target to aim for.

Think of your inbox as a reflection of your mind. A cluttered inbox equals a cluttered mind. By visualising a lean inbox, you set the stage for clarity and focus. Imagine opening your email and seeing only messages that are relevant, important, and actionable. That’s your goal.

Step 2: Sort by Category

Marie Kondo's famous method involves gathering all items and sorting them by category. Similarly, you should start by categorising your emails.

1. Immediate Action: Emails that require a response or action within 24 hours.

2. Delegated: Emails you can forward to someone else to handle.

3. Waiting For: Emails you're waiting for a response on.

4. Reference: Emails with information you might need later.

5. Trash/Spam: Emails that are useless or no longer needed.

By sorting your emails into these categories, you can begin to see where your attention needs to be focused.

Step 3: The Lean 5S Method

Lean practitioners are familiar with the 5S methodology: Sort, Set, Shine, Standardise, and Sustain. Let's apply this to your inbox:

1. Sort: Move all your emails into appropriate folders based on the categories above. Be ruthless. If an email doesn’t fit any category and doesn’t spark joy, delete it.

2. Set in Order: Arrange your folders logically. The key here is ease of access. You want to be able to find what you need quickly. Consider colour-coding or numbering folders to reflect their priority.

3. Shine: Clean up your inbox by deleting old, irrelevant emails and archiving ones you might need for future reference. Think of it as giving your inbox a thorough spring clean.

4. Standardise: Create rules and filters to automate the sorting process. Set up your email client to automatically move newsletters to a ‘Read Later’ folder, or tag emails from important clients for immediate attention.

5. Sustain: Make maintaining your inbox a daily habit. Spend a few minutes each day processing emails to prevent build-up. It's like daily tidying up, ensuring your space remains clutter-free.

Step 4: Reduce Waste (Muda)

In Lean, waste (or "muda") is anything that doesn't add value. Let's identify and eliminate the common types of email waste:

1. Overprocessing: Sending or receiving unnecessary emails. Limit your email correspondence to what's truly necessary.

2. Waiting: Waiting for replies can stall projects. Use clear, concise communication to reduce back-and-forth.

3. Overproduction: Sending too many emails can overwhelm recipients and lead to important messages getting lost. Be concise and to the point.

4. Motion: Switching between tasks to check emails can disrupt your flow. Schedule specific times for checking emails instead of constant monitoring.

5. Inventory: Old, unread emails sitting in your inbox are like excess inventory. They take up space and can create stress. Deal with them promptly.

Step 5: Spark Joy with Every Email

Marie Kondo asks, "Does it spark joy?" For emails, this translates to assessing whether an email adds value to your life or work. When you receive a new email, ask yourself:

• Does this email provide useful information?

• Is it relevant to my current projects or goals?

• Does it require action that aligns with my priorities?

If the answer is no, consider unsubscribing or deleting it.

Step 6: Continuous Improvement (Kaizen)

Lean thinking embraces the concept of continuous improvement, or "kaizen." Your inbox management should evolve over time. Regularly review and adjust your email handling practices to ensure they remain effective.

Set aside time each month to review your filters, folders, and habits. Are there new types of emails clogging your inbox? Have your priorities shifted? Tweak your system to reflect these changes.

Step 7: Embrace Automation

Use technology to your advantage. Email clients offer various tools to help you manage your inbox:

• Rules and Filters: Automatically sort incoming emails based on criteria you set.

• Canned Responses: Save and use pre-written responses for common queries.

• Unsubscribe Tools: Services like Unroll.Me can help you unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters en masse.

Step 8: Lean Inbox as a Lifestyle

Just like Lean is more than a set of tools, it's a way of thinking, Marie Kondo-ing your inbox is about creating a lifestyle of intentionality and efficiency. Imagine the ripple effects of a lean inbox:

• Increased Productivity: With fewer distractions, you can focus on high-value tasks.

• Better Relationships: Responding promptly and thoughtfully to important emails builds trust and reliability.

• Mental Clarity: A clean inbox can reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.

Step 9: Share the Joy

Once you've experienced the benefits of a lean inbox, share your knowledge with others. Encourage your team, friends, and family to Marie Kondo their inboxes too. After all, Lean thinking thrives on collaboration and shared success.

Conclusion

Marie Kondo-ing your inbox isn't just about tidying up; it's about creating a system that supports your lean lifestyle. By applying lean principles, visualising your ideal state, sorting, standardising, reducing waste, and continuously improving, you can transform your inbox into a tool that adds value and sparks joy.

So, go ahead and embrace the lean inbox revolution. Your digital life, just like your physical space, deserves to be organised, efficient, and filled with joy.