Your Inbox Doesn’t Have to Feel Like a To-Do List from Hell: It's Time to Master Your Inbox!

Let’s talk about your inbox.

You open it. You sigh. You see a bunch of unread messages and a few random flagged ones. Some are actually important, but most of them just… sit there.

I’ve been there.

Here’s the thing: your inbox doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. But if you want to feel even a little bit more in control of your day, a few small changes can go a long way.

So let’s get you started with a simple inbox system that I use and recommend for nearly every client. It takes maybe 30 minutes to set up and saves hours every week. (& I’ll send you my template with step by step instructions on how to get it up for Gmail!)

Start Here: Your New Go To Inbox Labels

To start, I want you to set up at least three core labels (or folders, depending on your platform):

⭐ To Do – These are emails that require an action. Think: follow-up, response, scheduling, etc.

👀 To Review – These are emails you need to read or think through but aren’t immediately actionable.

🗃️ Archive – A holding space for anything that’s done, closed, or doesn’t need attention but you don’t want to delete just yet.

A Quick Heads Up Before You Start

If your inbox is currently empty (first of all—congrats!), you won’t see your new labels appear in Gmail’s sidebar right away. They’ll show up once you move at least one email into each one.

Setting Up Priority Inboxes (in Gmail)

Step 1: You won’t see dropdown options if you don’t get any emails!

Your inbox should reflect how you work. Set up your labels to match what you’re managing right now. The labels above are just the starting point—I recommend tailoring them to your workflow using names, clients, or projects.

If you want to get fancy (and honestly, I always do), create sub-labels using the format Label >> Sub-Label. For example:

⭐ To Do >> Client A or 👀 To Review >> Team Notes.

Step 2: Sort Existing Emails Into Each Label

Now, go through your inbox and move messages into their new homes. If you’ve got more than 10 emails in a section, this step becomes extra helpful. Gmail only shows a quick preview of the first 10—you’ll need to click in to see more, so sorting now saves you clicks later.

If you use a task management system, once you’ve labeled your emails as To Do you can then move them into your task tracker and clear them out of your inbox.

If you don’t, you can use this section as your task reminder list.

Step 3: Use These Tabs in Standups (Seriously!)

If you’re running team check-ins or standups, referencing your To Do and To Review labels is a smart way to prioritize. It gives you a clear picture of what’s in motion and what needs decisions.

Customizing It for You

Some people like using emojis in labels because they make things easier to spot. Others prefer to go emoji-free and sort alphabetically. You can also use numbers to prioritize (like 1-Action Items, 2-To Review, etc.).

Important: If you don’t use emojis, make sure to name your custom Archive folder with a symbol or number first—Google already uses “Archive” internally, so if you try to name it the same, it won’t work. Something like _Archive or Z-Archive will do the trick.

Wrapping Up

I know it might feel like just another thing to set up, but trust me—once your inbox has structure, it changes everything. You’ll spend less time digging for emails, less time second-guessing what needs your attention, and more time actually getting things done.