Inbox Zero
Turn a small batch of emails into five suggested buckets, a summary and reply drafts. You review the plan and take every action.
A table, a short summary, reply drafts and unsubscribe targets
This is the book's fake practice inbox. You review the plan and take any actions yourself.
Example only · Made-up practice data
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| From | Subject | Bucket | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mia | Pick a workshop topic | Reply now | Draft ready. Deadline flagged. |
| Jo | Website typo | Delegate | Handoff draft to Sam |
| Design Notes | Weekly design ideas | Read later | No reply needed |
| Daily Deals | Your daily offers | Unsubscribe | You asked to stop it |
| Shop | Receipt: notebook | Archive | Nothing left to do |
EXAMPLE ONLY. 5 of the 8 fake practice emails. Every draft is marked NOT SENT. Wording can vary between AI tools.
Exactly what you get
- inbox-zero.pdf: 14 pages. 7 visual pages for you, 7 AI instruction and example pages.
- SKILL.md: the same complete skill as plain text
- sample-inbox.json: 8 clearly labeled fake emails for a safe practice run
- test-results.md: a record of the sample test and its limits
What you’ll need
An AI chat that can read the PDF or the text of SKILL.md. File support and inbox access depend on your tool. Start with the fake sample, then a small redacted batch. Check recipients and facts; all drafts are NOT SENT. You take every inbox action.
AI access is separate. Results and file support vary by tool.
Questions? Read the FAQ →Inside Inbox Zero
Read it. Give it to your AI. Review a calmer plan for your inbox.
The first seven pages explain why mail piles up, with plain words, diagrams and simple math. The next seven give your AI a complete email sorting skill, plus a fake worked example you can try first. Your AI proposes five buckets:
- Reply now: your next decisions and questions
- Delegate: a task for a person you have named
- Read later: useful mail without a reply due
- Unsubscribe: recurring mail you have said you no longer want
- Archive: mail with no open task
Why the inbox wins
Every email is a choice
120 emails × 2 minutes = 4 hours
Without a simple system, each email becomes another decision. This math is an illustration, not a time-saving promise.
Why it piles up
Newsletters pile up. Apps keep sending notices. A reply gets late, then feels hard to write. The guide helps you make those choices in a clear order.
Five steps
- Read the first half of the PDF.
- Give the full PDF or the text of SKILL.md to your AI. File support and inbox access depend on your tool.
- Start with the fake sample. Then try a small batch of redacted emails.
- Ask: “Follow the Inbox Zero skill. Review only this batch. Show the table, summary, and drafts. Take no inbox actions.”
- Check recipients, facts, wording and next steps. Send or change anything yourself.
Built-in safety rules
- It never tells your AI to send, delete, archive or unsubscribe for you.
- Drafts stay in the response for you to review.
- Never share passwords or login codes.
- Private or suspicious mail is flagged for you to handle.
Good to know
This is a guide and a reusable instruction file, not an email app or an AI subscription. It does not connect to your inbox by itself.
Try the fake sample first, then a small batch of redacted emails. Results and file support vary by AI tool. No promise of an empty inbox or perfect sorting.
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