The four-step process below incorporates concepts from Getting Things Done (David Allen), twice-daily e-mail checks from The 4-Hour Workweek (Tim Ferriss) and techniques that I have been using successfully for several years.
- Take control of your e-mails: Eight Easy Steps to Eliminate E-mails. Process your e-mails only twice a day, one at mid-morning to respond to overnight and early morning e-mails, and another one at mid-afternoon to read the rest.
- Transform the e-mails in your Do folder into one-line action items: use the verb-noun format, e.g., Read the report
- Prioritize your action items: Three Tricks for Tackling Top Tasks (long explanation)
- Apply assembly-line techniques: work on one group of top tasks at a time by location (home, office or away) and tools (computer, phone, etc.)
