Your inbox should be your work in progress. Today the goal is to start cleaning out the inbox. The two golden rules are:

1) Have a robust folder structure in which to file the emails which do not require your attention currently.

2) Handle each email once and only once. Do not flick through them and leave open. Instead use the 4Ds principle to take action: deal, delegate, delete or defer.

For today's action plan click here.

Share your progress; Email; Facebook: Twitter (using #cleaninbox) There is prize for the person with the best way of keeping track of emails on which you defer action (a copy of ‘Brilliant Email’).