What are the best practices for managing email?

By JF Perreault, founder of Triago · October 2, 2026

Good email management comes down to four habits. Make one decision for each email. Handle your inbox in batches, at set times. Keep what needs an action at the top. Follow up on the emails that are waiting for a reply. The goal isn't an empty inbox. It's a clear mind.

1. One decision per email: Inbox Zero

“Inbox Zero” comes from Merlin Mann. He presented it at Google in July 2007. His idea: every email gets a decision, right away.

The five possible decisions: delete, delegate, respond, defer, do. For Mann, the zero doesn't count emails. It counts the attention your inbox takes from you.

2. Handle your inbox in batches

Open your inbox at set times, two or three times a day. In between, close it. Ten emails handled at once interrupt you once, not ten times.

3. Keep what needs an action at the top

Sort by order of action, not by topic. Three piles are enough: to do, waiting, to read. When you're short on time, you only do the top of the pile.

4. Follow up on what is waiting for a reply

A sent email with no reply is an open task. Mark it, pick a delay, and follow up if nothing happens. Following up isn't bothering anyone. It's keeping the job alive.

The 4 practices, by hand or with Triago

The Triago features that apply these practices

• Your tags. You create your tags: name, colour, keywords, senders. Triago applies them on arrival. What needs an action stays in your inbox, in front of you.
• “File it on arrival”. On a tag, this setting takes what always comes back out of your inbox. You turn it on, tag by tag. It can't be turned on for an “Action” tag: what is still to do stays in front of you.
• “And clear what’s already there”. Li-A offers to have a tag file itself. She then gives you two buttons: “From now on”, or “And clear what’s already there”. You choose: leave what is sitting there, or file it all at once. Nothing is deleted: the emails stay in your archives. That's “Archive” in Outlook, “All Mail” in Gmail.
• File one batch at a time. Li-A offers to file one batch at a time, with the number in the sentence. Nothing is moved out of your inbox without your yes. Everything can be found in your History.
• “Empty the inbox”. To start fresh in one go, this button on your dashboard moves your emails to the trash. You choose: all of them, or what is older than a date. You see the number before you confirm. Triago never deletes anything for good. You get them back from the Gmail trash, which keeps them about 30 days. In Outlook, it's “Deleted Items”, as long as that folder isn't emptied.
• The “Triago - Follow up” label. You put it on a sent email (“Triago/Follow up” in Gmail). Triago prepares the follow-up after the delay you choose, and stops when the reply comes in.

And you don't have to set all this up yourself. You tell Li-A, in plain words, and she sets Triago up for you.

These practices aren't about having a pretty inbox. They're about ending your day with peace of mind.

One free month to start: you add your card, and nothing is charged for 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Inbox Zero method?

It's a method by Merlin Mann, presented at Google in 2007. Every email gets a decision: delete, delegate, respond, defer or do. The zero measures the attention your inbox takes, not the number of emails.

How often should you check your email?

Two or three times a day is enough for most business owners. Pick set times: the start of the day, lunch and late afternoon. In between, close your inbox.

How do you follow up on an unanswered email without being pushy?

Follow up after a clear delay, in one sentence, with your original question. A short follow-up reminds without insisting. With Triago, you put the “Triago - Follow up” label on the sent email. Triago prepares the follow-up after the delay you chose. It goes out on its own if you turn that on.

Can you automate your email without losing control?

Yes, if the tool leaves you the last word. With Triago, nothing goes out without you, except what you turned on yourself, tag by tag. By default, your drafts wait for you to send them. You can turn on sending for follow-ups, or set a tag to reply and send on its own.

Sources

• Merlin Mann, “Inbox Zero”, Google Tech Talk, July 23, 2007, and his 2006 article series on 43 Folders: https://43folders.com/izero (opens in a new window)
• Triago, FAQ and app screens (tags, “File it on arrival”, “Empty the inbox”, History), October 2026.