Valentina Akpan: Founder of Rellatech, providing administrative and operations support to executives, founders, business owners and teams. Her background combines technical support, customer success, administration and operations.
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When a business asks me for inbox help, the inbox is often already behind. There may be thousands of unread messages, with important threads mixed in with newsletters and clients still waiting for replies.
I fix this with a set of rules that we keep using, rather than a one-time clear-out. This is how I do it as part of inbox and calendar management.
Before: The Usual Picture
- ●Thousands of unread emails, no folders, no filters
- ●Important client threads mixed with promos and receipts
- ●Replies that should take 2 minutes left open in tabs for days
- ●No clear handoff between you and anyone helping you
The System I Build
I keep the setup simple. Most businesses do not need 40 labels and a colour-coded system. Four labels that match how decisions are made are usually enough.
- ●Action Needed: anything that requires you specifically
- ●Waiting On: replies you are expecting from someone else
- ●FYI: read-only updates, receipts, confirmations
- ●Done: archived, searchable, out of the way
I set up filters so most messages are sorted before you open your inbox.
Approval Rules
Before I send anything, we agree in writing what I can send on my own, what I draft for you to approve, and what I never touch. The list is short, and it makes sure we both know who handles what.
- ●Send without asking: scheduling, confirmations, standard replies to routine questions, requests for missing information
- ●Draft for approval: anything about money, scope, a complaint, a contract, or a message to a board member, funder or journalist
- ●Never touch: legal matters, HR issues, and any thread you have flagged as yours
- ●Sign-off: replies go out under your name or mine, and we decide which per category so there are no surprises
The executive support case study shows these rules running across several teams and systems for a chief executive.
What Counts as Urgent
We agree in writing what "urgent" means for your business, so it is clear what I bring to you straight away and what goes into the daily summary.
- ●Interrupt you now: a client or funder deadline today or tomorrow, a payment or access failure, a media or legal request, anything a named person has marked as escalate
- ●Same day: client questions, requests from your staff that block their work, invoices and approvals due this week
- ●Daily summary: everything else that needs you, grouped and listed once
- ●Handled without you: newsletters, receipts, notifications, and routine requests covered by the approval rules
The Waiting-For List
Every reply you are owed goes on one list: who, what, the date you asked, and the date to chase. I review it each morning and send the follow-up when the date comes, so you do not have to remember to chase anyone.
- ●One line per open item, kept in the Waiting On label or a simple sheet, whichever you will look at
- ●A chase date on every line, set when the request goes out
- ●Follow-ups sent in your voice, with the original thread attached
- ●Items closed only when the answer arrives, not when the reminder is sent
After: What Your Day Looks Like
- ●You open your inbox and see only what needs you
- ●I have already drafted, replied, or filed everything else
- ●Clients get a reply within the response time we agreed, in your voice
- ●You no longer need to check email at 11pm to stay on top of things
Work with Rellatech
Inbox management is one of the most common tasks I handle for clients. If your inbox needs attention, a short call is a good way to see whether my support is a fit.
Book a free callChoose a time that suits you on the booking page. On the call, tell me what needs attention and which tools you use. Any detailed audit or implementation is scoped separately.
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