Ask HN: Have you found that the Inbox Zero method works? How do you maintain it?

It's a joke method that doesn't actually do anything for the underlying issue... Why does having unread items in your inbox cause you stress? You could see the subject without clicking on the email and you could see the little blurb preview without clicking on the email. You could have full and complete reading of an email without reading the email. So my argument against inbox zero is that it teaches people that you need to take in every bit of information and not filter anything mentally and you need to be concerned by everything that you're taking in... Which to me is harmful mentally. Learn to filter things and learn to not give a shit.

No. It forces me to respond to every request that comes in even if it's not that useful. My activities start to conform to the inbox instead of the other way around. What relevance does the order in which things are presented to me have on how I ought to go about accomplishing my priorities. When my priorities change, the system I established for handling and the priority changes. Even if I'm done processing the message as far as I can, there is still more to be done to bring the issues it raises to a close. Sometimes, 2 or 3 items in my inbox are related.

I usually end up with a list of tasks that I resort and relate to one another, and keep reshuffling as the day goes along. When needed, relevant messages can go in a folder with anything else that's needed to address it so that when I return to it, anything that's needed for it is available immediately.

I have been maintaining zero inbox for a number of years now!

It just takes discipline and a little OCD! I usually reply and act upon the most important work emails first thing in the morning, and my personal emails first thing after lunch.

I also clear out the spam and notification/newsletter emails while commuting.

Although I don't reach inbox zero every day, I manage to do it every 2-3 days. It gives me great joy!

Works in what sense? I spend maybe 30 minutes a day keeping my inbox clear. I either respond, archive, unsubscribe, filter, trash, or move the email to a note or issue. I use GMail's snooze feature to remind me in the future. No need to stress over it -- think of it as a process rather than an absolute goal. No prizes awarded for inbox zero

Have been using aliases for years so incoming emails arrive at prearranged inboxes. Often they use format `Box###??' where ### are any digits and ?? is one or more alpha characters.

3 times per day: look at work inbox, read any emails that look important, create followup items in your todo list, mark all as read once none of the subject lines spark joy.