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If you’re someone who seeks productivity or someone who strives for simplicity and focus in your daily life, you’ve probably heard the phrase Inbox Zero. (Sometimes, this term is alternately referred to as Zero Inbox.) Just like people work to keep the kitchen counter clean so they can go about preparing dinner easily, many people like to achieve inbox zero in gmail so they can focus on the messages that really matter. It even reminds us of the famous ‘Make Your Bed’ speech by A clean gmail inbox or email account is a thing of beauty and offers an almost zen-like reward for your efforts. Having your important emails in clear gmail folders and archived and deleted means your inbox feels like a newly-cleaned room. If you’re still wondering: ‘What is Inbox Zero’ or ‘how do I get a clean inbox’, let us explain a bit more. Inbox Zero is the state of having an inbox with no messages in it, and usually requires a lot of work or some very focused strategies to make that happen. If a clean inbox appeals to you, we’ll share a bit of insight into the tricks people use to get Inbox Zero and the strategies they use to stay there. But we’re not just going to show you all of the best parts of Inbox Zero, we’ll also take a look at the challenges, pitfalls, and possible reasons for not being an Inbox Zero devotee.
‘Inbox Zero’ is a phrase coined by Merlin Mann in his similarly titled book, published in 2018. And although many people read the inbox zero book, quite a few took away an incorrect meaning of what Mann originally intended. Today, people take the phrase to mean ‘I have zero emails in my inbox’ as a number. Inbox Zero on YouTube will produce videos of people showing you the filters to use and strategies to delete hundreds if not thousands of emails, just to get to the shangri-la of zero emails. ‘Inbox Zero’ reddit threads (or subreddits) will deliver one-off hacks to get rid of emails. But very few resources on those sites peel back the curtain on the actual meaning of inbox zero from the original author of the concept. Consider this quote from Mr. Mann himself: ‘“It’s about how to reclaim your email, your attention, and your life. That “zero?” It’s not how many messages are in your inbox–it’s how much of your own brain is in that inbox. Especially when you don’t want it to be. That’s it.” – Merlin Mann
This means that although some people are chasing the image that shows up on gmail when you have zero emails, it’s not really about that. It’s about making sure that the messages you are looking at are important and worthy of your attention and that your brain isn’t being overloaded with irrelevant messages. Just so. I think we all recognize that it’s not the emails themselves that stress us out. It’s the clutter. It’s the fact that we end up missing important things in the huge amount of irrelevant emails. And just making those emails go away doesn’t necessarily mean our brains are more focused. In fact, it often means we’re spending precious time on deleting, archiving, and filtering those irrelevant messages.
Let’s be honest: for those of us using Gmail or Google Workspace, there is now a simple and joy-inducing reward to achieving inbox zero. It’s as simple as a picture, but the dopamine of achieving that image (and seeing how it changes) can bring a smile to your face. Here’s the problem. In doing so, you just spend a long time clearing out your gmail inbox. Or updating your gmail settings carefully. Or manually going through every inch of a very messy inbox. You’ve put in many hours of work that could have been better spent on your priorities, on the work that’s actually worthy of your attention. The big tech giants will continue to foster this system for one main reason: they’re dependent on the fact that all of the potential email that could be sent… goes into your inbox. And why’s that? They can scan it and use the content to serve ads, primarily. Therefore there should be no limits imposed on incoming email and the burden will fall to you to slog through the triage of what’s important, what’s not, and what’s absolute junk. Reaching Zero Inbox in Gmail or Google Workspace will never be easy, because it’s in Google’s best interest to let anyone reach you, at any time.
Once we own up to the fact that the large email providers have no incentive to slow down the flow of overwhelming, irrelevant, and - in best case - automated email… It remains to be seen: is it still worth it to you to work hard for the sake of a clean, zero inbox gmail account? The benefits of inbox zero are, primarily, tied to your individual need for clarity and focus. If you work better with few distractions, as many of us do, it might be smart to take steps that result in a clear inbox. It will allow your mind to focus on the messages that actually matter. When something important lands in your inbox, you’ll finally be able to see it. Or maybe you just really enjoy that Gmail or Superhuman image that’s shown when you reach the magical number of zero. No matter your motives, if you want inbox zero, with the tools available to date, it’s been a burden that you have to carry. You’ll have to do all the work to get rid of those incoming, distracting, irrelevant emails. Until now. Gated brings a new paradigm to the inbox in which things no longer can just flow in, with no barriers. Gated allows you to take control of your inbox and set boundaries for what is worth your attention. In the past, it’s been hard to get to Inbox Zero. Gated changes all that, allowing you to work smarter, not harder.
In the shortest terms possible, when you strive for inbox zero, you’re spending time on tasks that are not your priority. Instead of focusing on what matters to you, you’re spending time cleaning out, archiving, unsubscribing to poor emails. Instead, you should use technology that’s designed to protect you from all that and give you back the power to decide what’s worth your attention. Just think about all of the videos and trainings and blog articles that help people reach Inbox Zero. You thought this was one of those, didn’t you? In actuality, those resources just push people to spend time cleaning out clutter that they shouldn't see in the first place. Have you created 1 or 43 folders to hide those emails? Do you push them to later, just to get a clean inbox? Have you completely changed your inbox workflow to chase an unimportant goal in itself? It’s time to consider flipping the model and saying ‘no’ to inbound email that isn’t relevant to you or your needs. Gated allows the people you know - and people who make a donation to your chosen charity - to reach you. So finally, everything in your inbox is worth your attention. No more spending time on inbox zero. Instead, let’s spend time cultivating a list of people that you want to hear from … and not even bother with those you don’t.
Ok, fine. You enjoy a clean countertop and clean inbox. It’s something many of us do. So if you really want the end result that feels clean and uncluttered and helps your focus, let’s stop fighting for it tooth and nail. Instead, use technology to help you get there - without all that work. Work smarter, not harder, to fight against the never-ending onslaught of unwanted email. Take a look at what people are saying who have come to understand that we are no longer able to defend ourselves against unwanted email.
“I recently moved into a senior leadership position and my inbox absolutely exploded. I'm a little OCD about unread emails and try to maintain 'inbox zero' by the end of each day. This would NOT be possible without Gated.” - F. Devine, Senior Director of Revenue Operations
Instead, we need to adopt technologies that project our attention and help us set boundaries against digital noise. Yes, both people who use email and people who send email agree: Gated is the only solution that stops unwanted emails at the root cause, which makes it actually possible to reach and maintain Inbox Zero.
“Inbox Zero is the key to my ability to getting things done - and now when I open my email it's streamlined without having to prune too much! “ - J. Leahy, Head of Revenue Operations
At Gated, we believe that everyone has a right to protect their attention and this isn’t some fancy tool only for CEOs to reduce unwanted email. Gated is a solution that allows anyone - yes, even you! - to set boundaries, so that the influx of email is only those that matter to you, making achieving Inbox Zero actually achievable - without simply working harder and devoting more of your limited hours. It may seem new at first, but it’s a better way to get to inbox zero and it’s how you’ll be able to maintain an ongoing number of zero emails in your inbox.