Email can be both a productivity booster and a massive time sink. The average professional spends 28% of their workweek managing emails—nearly 11 hours per week!¹ For CEOs and executives, this distraction pulls them away from high-value strategic work.
Elite CEOs don’t let their inbox control them. Instead, they triage, automate, and delegate—using proven techniques to stay focused on what truly moves the needle. Here’s how you can do the same.
1. The Two-Minute Rule: Decide, Delegate, Delete
David Allen’s Getting Things Done method emphasizes this simple principle: If an email takes less than two minutes to handle, act on it immediately—either by responding, forwarding it, or deleting it.² This prevents emails from piling up and saves hours over time.
2. Inbox Zero: Automate Your Workflow
Instead of drowning in email, high performers implement Inbox Zero by using:
✔ Filters & Labels: Automatically categorize emails into folders (e.g., “Urgent,” “To Read,” “Waiting for Response”).
✔ AI Tools: Leverage AI assistants like Superhuman, SaneBox, or Gmail’s Priority Inbox to surface only the most important messages.
✔ Unsubscribe Ruthlessly: CEOs don’t waste time on spam and newsletters they don’t read—services like Unroll.Me help clear the clutter.
3. Batch Processing: Stop Checking Email Constantly
Billionaires don’t check email all day—they schedule it. Top executives set fixed times (e.g., 10 AM and 3 PM) to process emails in bulk.³ This prevents constant context-switching, which kills productivity.
4. Executive Assistant Delegation: The CEO’s Secret Weapon
Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett, and Tim Cook all have executive assistants (EAs) to screen emails.⁴ Delegating inbox triage means:
🔹 Your EA filters emails by priority.
🔹 They respond to routine requests.
🔹 You only see what truly requires your attention.
No EA? Use tools like Calendly to eliminate scheduling emails and Boomerang to automate follow-ups.
5. Ditch Email for Faster Alternatives
Many CEOs reduce email dependency by shifting to:
🔸 Slack or Microsoft Teams for quick internal discussions.
🔸 Asana or Trello for project collaboration.
🔸 Loom video messages for complex topics.
Fewer emails = more time for big-picture thinking.
Final Thought: Build Your System Today
Your inbox shouldn’t dictate your day. By applying these strategies—triaging, automating, and delegating—you’ll reclaim hours and focus on what truly matters.
Feeling overwhelmed? Let’s design a system that works for you.
Sources:
- McKinsey & Company, “The Social Economy: Unlocking Value and Productivity Through Social Technologies”
- Allen, D. (2001). Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.
- Newport, C. (2016). Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.
- Forbes, “How Billionaire CEOs Manage Their Time”
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