Incoming!
I handle my mail as follows:
I've got many rules on incoming mail that determine the faith. Mail from specific senders (mailing lists, automated processes) get into specific folders. Mail where I'm in the CC get tagged with 'CC'.
This already sorts the bulk when I start.
Next is determining action. Action now, action later or reference. Once this is done it's out my mailbox.
If it's action later I have to determine when.
Today, this week, this month or 'someday'.
Today get's on my to-do list. This week in a folder I scan daily at the end of each day. This month will get a weekly scan. Once things need to be done they get moved, from 'this month' to 'this week' and from 'this week' to my to-do list.
This keeps my mail clean most of the time, only after holidays or when I'm having too much work it starts to bulk.
Which brings me to the following part:
As long as you are not your own department you can always delegate.
A lot of requests that land on my desk 'flow' to other people and a lot from their requests get on my desk. How I do this? I ask myself: "Am I the right person to do this? And do I have time to do this in the time it should be delivered?" A lot of time the answer will be no. Time for me to find someone who is the right person and has time.
When work get's too much I'll inform my head of department. And not at 100%, but at 80%.
There is always something usefull to do in that 'spare' 20% of time but if you are at 100% you cannot get the incidental extra load that always seems to happen one day.
If you are loaded with work 100% you are either doing production work on a belt (or something like that) or you (and your boss and his/her boss) are not doing your (their) job well.
It's your responsibility to say 'too much' and it's the responsibility of the manager to do something about that.
I know, work often isn't like that. But in the end it results in complaints from customers and loss of revenue. Too bad many people don't see this.
