How To Escape Email Jail, with Deirdre Van Nest

Are you getting lost in email? Discover the art of efficient email management and reclaim valuable time with our latest episode of The Team Success Podcast! In this episode, Shannon chats with renowned speaker, coach, and storytelling strategist Deirdre Van Nest about her game-changing email filtering system. You’ll learn how to delegate email tasks, set clear expectations, and leverage automation to streamline communication, plus gain actionable strategies for prioritizing valuable connections, protecting your energy, and optimizing productivity. Whether you’re seeking to automate your inbox or delegate email handling entirely, this episode offers invaluable insights and practical tips to help entrepreneurs reclaim control over their email overload and focus on what truly matters. Download Deirdre Van Nest’s Information Sheet Download Episode Transcript Show Notes: As an entrepreneur, if you’re not working with clients or creating content, you’re not earning money. You can gain back hours of earning potential each day simply by changing the way you handle email. This starts by categorizing emails based on priority and then creating individual folders for each category. “Urgent and important” emails need to be handled by the end of the day. “Important but not urgent” emails can be responded to within two to five days. “Not urgent, not important” emails can be addressed weekly. For this system to work, you’ll need to spend time training your assistant on which emails go into which category. It may take a few weeks for the system to work effectively, but it’s a few weeks’ worth of effort for countless hours of time saved. Once your assistant understands the system, the next step is for them to create daily executive reports about what’s in your folders so all you have to do is open up the report and decide what needs your attention when. You should prioritize engaging with emails from individuals or opportunities that align with your goals and values. However, the ultimate goal is for your assistant to begin responding as you, freeing you up from email entirely, or close to it. You can start by delegating low-priority emails and working your way up from there. This does mean you should communicate to your audience that receiving email responses from someone other than you is possible and explain the reasons behind it. Resources: Crazy Good Talks The Kolbe A™ Index Unique Ability® PRINT® The D.O.S. Conversation® The Eisenhower Matrix “Geometry” For Staying Cool & Calm