TikTok Can Teach You How To Finally Reach Inbox Zero

The state of your inbox can say a lot about you, at least according to TikTok users. There’s a difference between the type of person whose email is chaotic and overflowing with unread messages, spam, newsletters, and reminders and those who have whittled their inbox down to a pristine zero — otherwise known as “inbox zero.” The former are wild and free. The latter, organized to a T.

Inbox zero is a straightforward concept — the goal is to keep your inbox close to zero messages at all times — but it isn’t easy to achieve, and that’s what makes it so aspirational. To get there, you’re supposed to develop a system that allows you to read and file your emails regularly. That way, instead of constantly wading through 11,485 unread messages, you get to enjoy the sight of a sparkly-clean inbox and revel in a glowing sense of accomplishment.

Inbox zero is an organizational habit, but it’s also a way of life for some. On TikTok, creator @theaudhdvirtualassistant, aka Hannah, shared tips for getting your inbox down to zero. In her comments, one person said, “I’m an inbox 0 girl. It’s the best thing I’ve ever introduced into my work life.” Another admitted they had over 8,000 unread emails, but said they’d love to get down to zero, too. It’s something that appeals to the organizers, the Virgos, and the hustlers of the world. Here’s how to get there.

How To Get To Inbox Zero

To get your inbox down to zero, Hannah recommends unsubscribing from newsletters and promotions you no longer want. This is a good first step to take since it prevents further spam from coming in, and it also allows you to get rid of a good chunk of your inbox.

Once that’s done, you should create labels for your emails and begin filing everything away by topic. Think of things like Appointments, Receipts, Bills, Bank, Friends, etc. This will give your inbox a sense of structure and a routine you can follow. If you have Gmail, you can also set up subcategories beneath each label. Under Bills, you could list water, gas, car, and more.

From there, Hannah suggests setting up filters to organize your incoming emails automatically. In Gmail, this option will send messages from certain senders or with certain keywords directly to a labeled folder that you can check when you have more time.

To organize further, you can label, color code, and prioritize your daily emails by level of importance as they come in. That way you can clear out your inbox and keep tabs on what needs to be answered ASAP while saving a few things for later.

The most important tip, though, is to schedule time into your day to go through all of the above. You might set aside 15 minutes three times a day to answer, delete, file, etc. That way you won’t distract yourself by checking emails 100 times a day or getting caught up in a deleting spree.

Follow these tips and you’ll eventually reach true zero, Hannah said — even if it takes a few weeks. From there, it’ll be easier to keep your inbox neat with regular maintenance and monthly resets.

Is Inbox Zero Right For You?

Inbox zero would be enticing to those who are highly organized, and perhaps even a little Type A. On TikTok, creator @sheisapaigeturner said she was proud to achieve inbox zero. “If inbox zero were a person, I think it’d be me,” she said in a video. “My phone has not one notification on it. It’s clean and cleared out.”

While she said the other people in her life have 105,500 unread emails in their inbox at all times, having even one unopened message in her own inbox is enough to stress her out. “How do you leave so much up to chance?” she asked. “How do you live like that?”

This technique is also a go-to for anyone who doesn’t have any emotional attachment to their emails. In another TikTok, @lucy.cerezo cleared out over 16,000 emails in one swoop by highlighting and moving them all to an archive. In an instant, her inbox was technically at zero — even though nothing had been sorted or deleted. That’s certainly another way to tackle it, and it does give you a clean slate to deal with new emails as they come in.

The art of getting to inbox zero is perhaps most appealing, though, to the Virgos and Capricorns of the world — or at least the folks who have that vibe. These are the hardworking corporate girlies like @gabbi.samadi who said it is “literally the best feeling” to get to inbox zero, especially right before the weekend. Think of it as a satisfying shutdown routine. For some, this system has always been a personal preference, almost like a fun game — and one that provides plenty of bragging rights.