The Email Trick That Saves Me 2 Hours a Day

Did you know the average professional checks their email every 6 minutes?
It’s no wonder your inbox feels like a second full-time job.

If you’re constantly overwhelmed by unread messages, forgotten follow-ups, and the mental clutter of a jammed inbox then you’re not alone. But there is a better way. This one email trick can save you up to 2 hours a day. And if you hand it off to a Virtual Executive Assistant (VEA), you’ll never have to worry about your inbox again.

Let’s dive in.

The Email Trap: Why You’re Losing Hours

If you're like most busy professionals, you spend a huge portion of your day in your inbox, but you're rarely "done."

Here’s what’s really happening:

• You check emails constantly, but never actually process them.

• You re-read the same messages over and over again.

• You miss important follow-ups or delay key decisions.

• And worst of all: it’s draining your focus and energy without you even noticing.

Email is necessary… but it’s not your best use of time.

This trick fixes that.

Combine Email Triage with “Inbox Roles”

This approach is deceptively simple, but incredibly effective.

1. Email Triage: The 3-Bucket Sorting Rule

Start thinking of your inbox like an emergency room - not everything is urgent, and not everything is for you.

Create three categories (or use labels/folders) to sort everything:

• Action Required: Only emails that you personally need to respond to.

• Waiting On / Follow-Up: Messages where you’re waiting on someone else or need to check in later.

• FYI / Archive: Information only, no response needed.

Tip: You can create automatic rules in Gmail or Outlook to help direct emails to these folders as they come in.

2. Inbox Roles: Who Owns What

Now that your inbox is organized, let’s talk about delegation.

Assign these roles:

• YOU → Handle high-impact emails only: business strategy, client decisions, relationships, or anything only you can answer.

• YOUR VEA → Manages everything else:

• Calendar invites

• Routine inquiries

• Booking confirmations

• Payment receipts

• Status follow-ups

• Inbox cleanup and archiving

By handing off these lower-value tasks to a Virtual Executive Assistant, you free yourself up to focus on what matters most.

How to Set It Up (In Under 30 Minutes)

Gmail or Outlook makes this easy:

1. Create filters or rules to automatically tag emails from:

• Internal team

• Clients

• Systems (Stripe, Calendly, Google Docs, etc.)

2. Set up labels or folders for:
   Action Required | Waiting On | FYI Only

3. Write canned responses for frequent messages (e.g. "Thanks for your email—I'll review and respond by [day].")

4. Loop in your VEA:

• Give them access to a delegated inbox.

• Share templates and priorities.

• Let them manage your inbox daily, so you don’t have to.

Want This Done For You?

Setting up this system is powerful. But maintaining it daily is where the real time savings happen, and that’s where we come in.

At Impact Virtual, we help professionals like you:

• Build custom inbox workflows

• Triage email daily

• Respond on your behalf (with your voice and tone)

• Track and follow up on everything, without you lifting a finger

Ready to reclaim your time?
Book a free consultation here and we’ll show you how we can help.

One Small Shift, Big Impact

You don’t need to overhaul your entire workflow to get results.

Sometimes, one small system, like email triage, can give you hours of your day back, reduce your stress, and help you stay laser-focused on your biggest priorities.

So, here’s your move:

• Set up your 3-bucket triage system today.

• Delegate the rest to your VEA.

• Watch your productivity soar.