Let’s talk about something we all deal with—your inbox. Have you ever stopped to think about whether it’s helping or hurting your productivity?

Take a second to ask yourself: how many hours have you lost to email this week? If you’re like most accountants, the answer might surprise you.

The average professional spends about 28% of their workweek managing emails. That’s over 11 hours—basically an entire workday spent just on email!

We tend to think of email as something we quickly check between tasks or respond to when we have a free moment. But have you noticed how often a “quick check” spirals into way more time than you intended?

The truth is, email can easily take over your day if you’re not careful. And let’s be honest—it’s hard to stay on top of everything when unread messages keep piling up.

Have you ever come in on a Monday morning, opened your inbox, and immediately felt overwhelmed? Hundreds of unread emails staring back at you can make you feel behind before you even start.

Or maybe you’ve caught yourself thinking about emails even when you’re off the clock. That mental clutter can drain your energy, even when you’re not actively working.

Here’s the thing—email is supposed to make communication easier, but if it’s not managed well, it can do the opposite. It can pull you away from the work that really matters and leave you feeling scattered.

Think about it: how often do you stop what you’re doing to check your inbox? How many times have you reread the same email because you didn’t have time to deal with it the first time?

All those little interruptions add up. They break your focus, waste your time, and make it harder to get back on track.

Over time, an overflowing inbox doesn’t just waste hours—it creates stress and leaves you feeling like you’re always playing catch-up. That’s no way to work.

What if your inbox wasn’t such a constant source of frustration? Imagine opening it and seeing only the messages that actually matter, without all the clutter.

In today’s episode, we’ll dive into why your inbox feels so overwhelming and, more importantly, what you can do to fix it. It’s time to stop letting email run your day and start taking control.

Your inbox should be a tool to help you, not a time suck that drains your energy. Let’s make it work for you instead of against you.

The Brain Science Behind Inbox Overload

Let’s start by talking about why email feels like it’s taking over your day. You might not think of your inbox as a source of stress, but trust me, it totally is—and here’s why.

Your brain can’t automatically organize an inbox full of read and unread emails. It sees every unread email as something unfinished, which just piles on mental stress and makes it harder to focus.

Honestly, I often joke that email is an accountant’s “drug of choice.” Think about it—every time you hear that little ding or see a notification, your brain gets a quick hit of dopamine, the same feel-good chemical you get from eating dessert or getting a compliment.

It feels great in the moment, but that dopamine hit is what makes email so addictive. Before you know it, you’re constantly checking, craving that next “fix,” and feeling a little panicked if you can’t step away.

The problem is, every time you stop what you’re doing to check an email, it pulls you out of focus. And the more you do it, the harder it gets to concentrate on what really matters.

Here’s the thing—your brain can handle a lot, but it has limits. This is called decision fatigue, and it’s why things like making choices or staying focused get harder as the day goes on.

And email is like decision fatigue on steroids. Every time you check your inbox, your brain is flooded with questions: Should I reply now or later? Is this email even important? Should I save this or delete it?

Even those little decisions—like whether to open an email or ignore it—start to add up. With dozens, maybe even hundreds of emails coming in every day, your brain gets overwhelmed fast.

When your brain is in overdrive like this, your focus slips, and even simple tasks feel like climbing a mountain. That’s why you feel drained and less productive by the end of the day.

The truth is, an overflowing inbox doesn’t just eat up your time—it drains your energy and clarity too. It’s like trying to run a marathon while carrying a heavy backpack. You might make it, but it’s going to feel way harder than it should.

This is what email overload does to your brain. It weighs you down with mental clutter and makes it harder to focus on the things that actually matter.

Here’s the bottom line: It’s not just about freeing up your time—it’s about freeing up your mind too. If you want to be a smarter accountant, you’ve got to learn how to take care of your accountant brain.

Three Email Habits Getting In Your Way

Now that we’ve discussed how an overflowing inbox can overwhelm your brain, let’s dig into some specific habits that might be making things worse. These are common pitfalls that many of us fall into, often without even realizing the damage they’re causing to our productivity. And believe me, I’ve got the research that backs up just how serious these problems can be.

Habit 1: Lack of Scheduled Email Processing Time

One of the biggest productivity killers is the habit of reacting to every email as soon as it arrives. You’re focused on a task, and then ding—a new email notification pulls your attention away. Before you know it, you’re deep into responding to emails instead of working on the project you had planned.

This constant interruption is more harmful than you might think. Studies show that it takes an average of 23 minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption, a phenomenon known as “attention residue.”

This means that every time you check an email, even if it’s just for a moment, your brain struggles to refocus on what you were originally doing. Over the course of a day, these interruptions add up, leaving you feeling scattered and less productive.

Even worse, this habit can create a cycle of stress. The more you interrupt yourself to check emails, the more you feel the need to stay on top of them, and the less time you have to actually get meaningful work done. It’s a vicious circle that can leave you feeling like you’re always playing catch-up.

Habit 2: Subscription Overload

Another common issue is the habit of subscribing to too many newsletters, industry updates, or promotional emails. At first, it might seem like a good idea to stay informed and up-to-date. But before you know it, your inbox is overflowing with emails that aren’t directly related to your work.

The problem with this is that it creates unnecessary noise. One study showed that the average professional receives around 121 emails per day. 

With so many messages coming in, it’s easy for important emails from clients or colleagues to get lost in the shuffle. You might find yourself spending valuable time sifting through irrelevant content just to find the emails that really matter.

This overload doesn’t just waste time—it also contributes to decision fatigue. The more emails you have to process, the more your brain has to work to decide what’s important and what can be ignored. Over time, this can lead to mental exhaustion and reduced productivity.

Habit 3: Using the Inbox as a Catch-All

Finally, there’s the habit of using your inbox as a storage space for everything—tasks, reminders, documents, and more. It’s easy to fall into this trap because it feels convenient at the moment. 

For example, need to remember something? Just email it to yourself. Want to keep a document handy? Leave it in your inbox.

But this habit can create a digital mess that’s just as overwhelming as a physical one. Research shows that cluttered environments, whether physical or digital, can lead to reduced focus and increased stress. 

When your inbox is filled with non-email tasks and documents, it becomes harder to find what you need. You end up wasting time searching for information and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff sitting in your inbox.

It’s also important to understand that using your inbox as a catch-all means that your brain is constantly trying to process different types of information—reminders, documents, tasks—on top of regular emails. This adds to your cognitive load, making it harder to concentrate and get things done.

The bottom line is that even though we all have issues with one or more of these habits, they are making it harder for us to be productive and efficient accountants.  That’s why it’s important to recognize your unhelpful email habits and understand the toll they’re taking on your productivity and mental clarity.

How to Take Back Control of Your Inbox

Now that we’ve identified the habits that can make your inbox a source of stress and inefficiency, let’s talk about how you can start taking control. It’s all about making a few simple changes that can lead to big improvements in how you manage your emails—and ultimately, how you manage your day.

One of the most popular mini-training videos in The Smarter Accountant Time Management Program covers email management, but today I just want to share a few strategies with you:

Strategy 1: Implement Scheduled Email Times

One of the most effective ways to regain control of your inbox is to set up specific times to check and process emails. Instead of reacting to every email as soon as it comes in, you’ll handle them in batches. This approach helps you stay focused on your work without constantly being interrupted.

Here’s how you can do it:

Choose Your Times: Pick a few times during the day when you’ll check your email. Good options might be first thing in the morning, after lunch, and before you finish work for the day. These are natural breaks in your day when it makes sense to clear out your inbox.  The most important thing here is that you should be in charge of when to give attention to email; email shouldn’t be in charge of your focus and attention.

Stick to the Schedule: Once you’ve set your email times for no more than 15 to 30 minutes, it’s important to stick to them. This means resisting the urge to check your email outside of these times. It might be tough at first, especially if you’re used to checking your inbox constantly, but it’s worth it. By limiting when you check emails, you’ll reduce decision fatigue and free up mental space for more important tasks.  I’m telling you, this is a game-changer.

Turn Off Notifications: To help yourself stick to the schedule, turn off email notifications. This way, you’re not tempted to peek at your inbox every time a new message arrives. Instead, you can focus on your work and handle emails when it’s time.  Every time you hear or see an email notification, your brain gets a hit of dopamine—the feel-good hormone. To stay focused, it’s important to break this habit by turning off notifications.

Strategy 2: Declutter Your Subscriptions

Another key step in taking control of your inbox is decluttering all those subscriptions that you’ve signed up for over the years. While staying informed is important, too many newsletters and promotional emails can clutter your inbox and distract you from the messages that really matter.

Here’s how to clean things up:

Review Your Subscriptions: Take a look at the emails you receive regularly. Are there newsletters you never read or promotions you’re not interested in? If so, it’s time to unsubscribe. Most emails have an unsubscribe link at the bottom, and it only takes a few seconds to remove yourself from the list.

Use Unsubscribe Tools: If you have a lot of subscriptions, consider using an unsubscribe tool like Unroll.me or Clean Email. These tools can help you quickly identify and unsubscribe from emails you don’t need, making the process faster and easier.

Benefit from a Cleaner Inbox: Once you’ve decluttered your subscriptions, you’ll notice a big difference. Fewer emails mean less distraction for your brain, and you’ll be able to focus more easily on the important messages. Plus, a cleaner inbox is less overwhelming to your brain, which can improve your overall focus and productivity.

Strategy 3: Organize and Streamline Your Workflow

For this strategy it’s important to set up a system for organizing your emails and managing the information that doesn’t belong in your inbox. A well-organized inbox makes it easier to find what you need and helps you stay on top of tasks without feeling overwhelmed.

Here’s how to do it:

Create Folders or Tags: Set up folders or tags in your email client to categorize your emails. For example, you might have folders for clients, ongoing projects, or important documents. As emails come in, file them away in the appropriate folder, so your inbox stays clean and organized.  I use Outlook and have my email folders set up by client.  I sort my inbox by the “From” tab and swipe all the emails related to that client into their appropriate folder.  I also have a folder labeled “#TBD” for the most important things I need to focus on, this way nothing gets lost. 

Use Other Tools for Non-Email Tasks: If you’re currently using your inbox to store reminders, documents, or to-do lists, it’s time to find a better system. Apps like Trello, Asana, or even a simple notes app are better suited for managing these tasks. By keeping non-email tasks out of your inbox, you’ll reduce clutter and make it easier to stay organized.

Schedule Regular Clean-Ups: Set aside some time, like an hour on Fridays, to declutter your inbox and tidy up your folders. This helps prevent your inbox from becoming overwhelming again and keeps your email management system running smoothly. For example, at the end of the year I go into each client’s email folder, sort by date, and delete anything over 7 years old.

Strategy 4: Set Up an Email Autoresponder

The last powerful strategy to take control of your inbox is to set up an email autoresponder. This tool can automatically let people know when they can expect a response from you, allowing you to stick to your email schedule without feeling pressured to reply immediately.

Here’s why this is important: In our always-on culture, there’s often an expectation of immediate responses to emails. But this constant pressure can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. By using an autoresponder, you set clear boundaries for yourself and others, making it easier to focus on deep work without interruptions.

An autoresponder message might look something like this:

“Thank you for your email. To be as productive and efficient as possible, I check emails at (specific times during the day). I will get back to you within (specific amount of time like 24 hours) if a response is necessary. Thank you for your understanding.”

This message does a few important things:

It Sets Expectations: By letting people know when you’ll respond, you reduce the pressure to reply instantly. This gives you the space to focus on your work during non-email times.

It Closes The Loop: One of the biggest struggles that people deal with is not being sure that their email was received or will be addressed.  The autoresponder message closes the loop in the sender’s brain letting them know that it was received and will be addressed within a specific amount of time, allowing for less anxiety.

It Reinforces Your Boundaries: Establishing and communicating clear boundaries helps you maintain a healthy work-life balance and prevents email from taking over your day.  You need to learn how to take back control of your time and attention.

You might be thinking that setting up an autoresponder feels like a small step, but it can have a big impact on how you manage your time and energy. By letting others know that you’re committed to a more focused and efficient way of working, you’ll find it easier to stick to your new email habits and take back control of your inbox.

The bottom line is that by implementing these strategies, you’ll start to see a real difference in how you manage your emails. Your inbox will feel more manageable, and you’ll have more mental energy to devote to the tasks that really matter. 

The key is that taking control of your inbox is not just about clearing out emails—it’s about taking back control of your time and your focus.

Becoming a Smarter Accountant: Getting Control Of Her Inbox

As I said before, one of the on-demand mini-trainings I have in The Smarter Accountant Time Management Program deals with email management.  Every coaching client has told me it was one of the most helpful trainings they’ve ever learned.

For example, one of my coaching clients was feeling completely overwhelmed by her inbox. She used to dread opening her email every morning, knowing that she’d be greeted by hundreds of unread messages, most of which weren’t even important.

The constant ping of new emails throughout the day kept her on edge, and she found herself reacting to every notification, no matter how trivial. This constant interruption made it nearly impossible for her to focus on her work, and by the end of the day, she felt drained and unproductive.

During our coaching sessions, we started by identifying the habits that were causing her inbox stress. She realized she was checking her email dozens of times a day, subscribing to newsletters she never read, and using her inbox as a dumping ground for reminders and documents.

We worked together to create a plan: she set up specific times to check her email, started unsubscribing from anything that wasn’t essential, and organized her emails with folders and tags.

We also added an autoresponder to let people know when they could expect a reply, which took a huge weight off her shoulders.

A few weeks later, the difference was night and day. She no longer felt the constant pressure to respond immediately, and her inbox was cleaner and more organized.

She told me how freeing it was to know that she could focus on her tasks without being distracted by every new email. Her productivity improved, and she even found she had more energy at the end of the day.

The best part? She regained a sense of control over her work and her time, which reduced her stress and made her much happier in her job. It was a powerful transformation that all started with getting control of her inbox.

I hope you can see that although taking control of your inbox might seem like a small change, it can have a big impact on your productivity and peace of mind. By implementing these strategies, you’ll not only reduce stress but also free up valuable time to focus on what really matters.

Remember, your inbox is a tool—don’t let it control you. Take charge, and watch how much easier your workday becomes.

Let’s wrap up with a key takeaway and a simple question to help you apply what you’ve learned.

Key Takeaway and Action Item

The key takeaway is that your inbox should be a tool that helps you get things done, not something that stresses you out or takes over your day. When you manage your email with intention, you can actually free up time and energy for the things that matter most.

This week, try asking yourself, “Is my inbox helping me stay productive, or is it running the show?” It’s such a simple question, but it really makes you pause and think. 

Are you in control, or are you just reacting—checking notifications, getting stuck in emails that don’t even matter, or rereading the same ones because you’re not sure what to do with them?

The beauty of this question is that it helps you spot where your inbox might be getting in the way. Once you see it, you can start making changes, like setting specific times to check your email or unsubscribing from stuff you don’t need. 

The goal is to take charge of how you handle email so it works for you—not the other way around. You deserve to feel in control of your time, not overwhelmed by your inbox!

Well, that’s what I have for you today! Thank you so much for joining me as we talked about the email inbox makeover every accountant needs. My hope is that you’ve picked up at least one thing you can start using right away.

Remember, you worked hard to become an accountant—it’s time to make it easier to be one.

If you’re feeling stuck or struggling with any part of being an accountant, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can book a free session with me at www.thesmarteraccountant.com/calendar. Let’s tackle what’s holding you back and get you on the path to feeling more confident and in control.

Also, have you taken The Smarter Accountant Quiz yet? Head over to www.thesmarteraccountant.com and find out what’s been getting in the way of you having success without the struggle. It’s the perfect starting point for becoming a Smarter Accountant.

And finally, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, I’d love for you to share it with other accountants. The more we spread the word, the closer we get to changing the narrative of what it means to thrive in this profession.

And don’t forget – the truth is that you’re already smart, but this podcast will show you how to be smarter.