📥 Inbox Triage + Response Playbook (100+ emails/day)

Triage System Recommendation

For 200/day COO volume: two-session daily rhythm + direct-report VIP lane + aggressive delegation. Goal isn't Inbox Zero; it's 'important stuff gets response within 24h, urgent within 4h, everything else managed appropriately.'

You're spending 3+ hours/day on email. Target: under 90 min/day (30 min morning + 20 min early afternoon + 10 min end-of-day + ad-hoc for urgent).

Your 5-Category Rules

DELETE (immediate, no response, ~60% of volume)

Filter or auto-delete:

• Calendar invites you're not attending (decline + delete)
• Newsletter / marketing emails (unsubscribe once per quarter)
• FYI-only updates from non-direct-report teams (your team will surface what matters)
• Automated system notifications (move to folder, check weekly if needed)
• CC-to-cover emails where you're not expected to act
• Vendor/service emails for tools not in your active scope

Setup: Gmail/Outlook filters. Auto-label + archive. Daily time saved: 30-45 min.

DELEGATE (forward to direct report, ~15% of volume)

When to delegate: If the email is about a function owned by your direct report, don't respond yourself. Forward with brief handoff.

Template:

[Direct Report Name] — can you take this? Brief context: [one sentence about what they need].

[Original email]

Thanks.

CC original sender so they know status ('Loop you back in when [Name] responds').

Category examples:

• Customer support escalations → Head of CS
• Engineering hiring / technical questions → Head of Engineering
• Product roadmap questions → Head of Product
• Financial/accounting questions → Head of Finance

Time saved: 20-30 min/day.

DEFER (calendar for later, ~15% of volume)

Criteria: Requires your response but not urgent. Needs real thought. Doesn't block anyone.

How:

1. Move to 'Later' folder

2. Create calendar event 'Respond to [subject]' at specific time in next 3 days

3. Respond in calendar block

Never 'snooze indefinitely' — that becomes the ignored-forever pile.

Examples:

• Thoughtful investor questions
• Strategic discussions with Head of CS about a concerning client pattern
• Interview debriefs requiring reflection

Time allocated in calendar: 30 min daily deep-work block for deferred emails.

DO-NOW (under 2 min response, ~5% of volume)

Criteria: Direct report needs yes/no + context. Simple question. Quick acknowledgment.

Response within the inbox session, not scheduled later.

Time saved: handling these immediately avoids calendar tax of re-reading later.

THINK (deep-work required, ~5% of volume)

Criteria: Strategic decisions, complex interpersonal situations, high-stakes responses requiring careful composition.

Never respond to these in inbox session. Calendar as separate deep-work block.

Examples:

• CEO asking for strategic input on major decision
• Board communication requiring careful framing
• Client relationship repair email after serious issue
• Personnel-difficult email (performance concern, termination, etc.)

Schedule: 30-60 min deep-work block, dedicated to ONE email. Treat like strategic work, not email work.

Response Templates for Your Role

Template 1 — Direct Report Asking for Decision

[Name], Quick answer: [yes/no/specific decision].

[If context needed: 1-2 sentences of reasoning.]

If you need more discussion, Slack me or grab 15 min on calendar.

Thanks.

Template 2 — Delegation to Direct Report

[Name] — can you take point on this?

Context: [one sentence].

Loop me back if you need escalation or if outcome affects [specific business area].

Thanks.

Template 3 — Declining a Meeting

Thanks for the invite. Going to skip this one — my involvement isn't needed for the discussion. If outcomes affect [specific area], [Direct Report Name] can represent.

Replay me the summary afterward if relevant.

Template 4 — Investor Update Acknowledgment

Thanks for the thoughtful note — will respond with substance by [specific day, 2-3 days out]. Quick acknowledgment in the meantime.

[Your Name]

Template 5 — Customer Complaint Escalated to You

[Customer Name],

Hearing you + taking this seriously. Bringing in [Head of CS Name] directly to resolve — they'll be in touch within [specific timeframe].

Appreciate you escalating this; we want to make it right.

[Your Name]

Template 6 — Request That's Not In Your Scope

[Name], Not my area but I can point you to the right person.

[Specific person] handles this. I'd reach out to them directly — CC me if you want visibility.

[Your Name]

Template 7 — 'Let's Grab Coffee' Networking Request

Thanks for reaching out. I'm protecting deep-work time during this quarter, so unlikely to make coffee work near-term. Happy to answer specific questions over email if helpful.

[Your Name]

Template 8 — Meeting Follow-Up (acknowledgment)

Thanks for the thorough conversation. Action items on my end: [one sentence]. I'll follow up with [specific deliverable] by [specific date].

[Your Name]

Daily Rhythm

8:00-8:30am — Morning inbox session (30 min):

• Delete category: auto-filter cleared before you arrive
• Delegate category: forward with brief handoff (5-10 emails)
• Do-now: under-2-min responses (5-8 emails)
• Defer: calendar for later (10-15 emails)
• Think: identify + schedule for deep-work block (1-3 emails)

1:00-1:20pm — Post-lunch inbox session (20 min):

• Quick check for urgent
• Clear do-now + defers
• Direct-report responses

5:30-5:40pm — End of day (10 min):

• Final check for end-of-day direct-report blockers
• Not triage; just 'did anything break today.'

Urgent override: your direct reports can text/Slack you for true urgent. That stays in immediate response; email is async.

Deep-work email blocks: scheduled 2-3 times/week, 45-60 min each, for THINK category emails.

Escape Valves

When inbox hits 300+ after vacation/sick day:

• Declare email bankruptcy on old emails pre-vacation: auto-reply + archive everything >7 days old
• Only process new emails from vacation-return day forward
• If something important was missed, sender will re-contact

When you're behind on 50+ defers:

• Saturday morning 90-min catch-up block (not every weekend, but when needed)
• Or delegate acceleration: delegate more than usual for 1-2 weeks until caught up

When you're missing important emails to volume:

• Audit filters + VIP senders list
• Star system for specific senders (CEO, board members, key investors, direct reports)
• Starred emails surface above others

When email is the problem, not the solution:

• For recurring coordination with direct reports: shift to weekly 30-min 1:1s + daily Slack. Reduces email volume.
• For recurring question patterns: FAQ doc + link to FAQ in auto-reply.
• For newsletter/industry signal: Feedly or similar, NOT email delivery.