How to Finally Empty Your Overflowing Inbox (And Still Read Your Newsletters)
Inbox zero with a dead-simple 3-step system
I am content creator with a couple of newsletters, multiple blogging platforms, and a lot of online stuff. I get a ton of emails. Yet, I end the day with a clean, empty inbox.
Not a fluke. I’ve been on the inbox zero train for years. It all runs on three key principles:
No overcomplicated folder chaos
Quick decisions, every time
A smart system for recurring stuff
Keep the Setup Dead Simple
The Folder Fiasco
My dad is a folder guy. Has been for decades. I’m talking folders, subfolders, sub-subfolders — like a digital nesting doll. It should make his inbox feel organized.
Instead, it turns every email into a 20-minute game of “Guess the Folder.” And it all hinges on his memory.
I used to do that. Learned it from him. Until I realized that this takes more time than it saves.
Automated Labels
Some folks swear by auto-filters and labels (especially on Gmail). Emails from certain senders or with specific keywords get labeled and sorted automatically.
Sounds nice in theory. I did that for a while, even at my job at Google.
But maintaining that setup? Not easy. You’re constantly tweaking rules, adding new filters, removing old ones… and one mistake can bury an important email in a forgotten corner.
It's a good system if you’re able to keep it up and running without much hassle. I couldn’t, so I ditched that one, too.
My Approach
I run a minimalist setup that’s only based around three “folders” which in this case are only pre-determined destinations you have anyway:
Inbox
Archive
Trash
That’s it. (Plus the other built-in stuff like Sent, Drafts, Spam — but you know that already. I don’t actively use any of these, though.)
I used to have a “Read Later” folder, but honestly? I don’t need it anymore. You’ll see why in a sec.
Act Fast
Key to my email management is the act fast rule. Here’s how I process emails:
I get an email → I freak out first, of course.
I skim it → (Or now I use the summary function of Apple Intelligence, which is pretty cool)
If it’s junk → Trash
If it’s worth keeping → Archive
If I need to do something → it stays in the Inbox
(Yes, the inbox is sacred territory. If something’s in there, I must deal with it.)
Problem is, most people leave too much undecided. A pile of “I’ll get to it later” becomes a mountain, quickly.
My solution: Act fast. If there’s a task, I do it or schedule it. No task? Archive. Not useful? Trash.
Folders? Nope. Because search exists.
And search has become freakishly good. Even in Apple Mail (which is still very much behind Gmail and others in some areas), I can find anything with a keyword or phrase .
Folders are for paperwork. Search is for digital stuff.
Now, about that “Read Later” thing…
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Newsletter Pile-Up
That “Read Later” folder used to exist for one reason: Newsletters.
I get a lot of them. And I love them. But they clutter up the inbox fast. They’re not urgent, but I don’t want to toss them either.
If one becomes irrelevant, I unsubscribe. Otherwise, they used to get dumped into “Read Later.”
As a solution to this problem, Iused to use a free service called Mailbrew.
This might be the perfect service for you, if your inbox is full of newsletters.
Mailbrew gives you a clean, newsletter-only inbox. One email address for all subscriptions. And you can read them whenever you want.
It looks great, it’s distraction-free, and it doesn’t mix with my work or personal stuff.
It’s free, easy, and lets you subscribe with your Mailbrew email.
Now, I mostly use the Substack app.
Their app is great and since I get most of my newsletters from Substack anyway, it’s just natural to use the app and only get issues there instead of via email.
Additionally, you get comments, likes, restacks, the whole social newsletter experience.
Mailbrew works similarly, but for all newsletters — Substack or not.
You can also toss in RSS feeds, YouTube channels, Twitter accounts. Then get a tidy daily digest, or just read it in Mailbrew’s interface.
It’s not perfect, but it works. Substack’s experience is slicker, sure — but only works for Substack newsletters.
The Bottom Line
Inbox zero is a normal thing for me. I can’t do it any other way.
I’ve been keeping my inbox clean since I started using email, basically (or close enough). I’ve tried folders, filters, tags — you name it.
Now? I stick with three:
Inbox
Archive
Trash
Everything else gets dealt with, deleted, or handled through Substack.