Setup time
20 min
One-time
Time saved
~3 hrs
/wk
Tools
Claude AI
Free tier works
Difficulty
Beginner
No code
Cost
Free
To implement
What this workflow does
This workflow uses AI to process your inbox systematically — triaging by urgency and type, drafting replies to routine messages, and producing a prioritised action list for messages that need your personal attention. It works on a full backlog or as a daily 20-minute habit. The first time you run it, you fill in a one-time context block that tells the AI who your important clients and contacts are — this makes every triage output strategically relevant, not just structurally correct. The goal is to make email a processed output, not a permanent open tab.
Who it's for
- Consultants and operators whose inbox is their primary work surface
- Founders who spend two hours a day on email and get two hours of value back
- Anyone returning from leave to a backlog that feels impossible to clear
- People who respond to everything immediately and want to break that habit
Input
Email backlog or daily inbox
Paste subject lines or full emails
Output
Triage list + drafted replies
Prioritised and ready to send
What you'll need
What good looks like
Inbox triage — 26 May
34 emails → 6 actions + 8 drafts
Priority actions
Time to process
22 min
Example output
- Every email categorised: action required, reply needed, FYI only, or delete
- Prioritisation that reflects who actually matters to your business — not just who used the word 'urgent'
- Routine replies drafted and ready to review — not written from scratch
- A short list of emails that genuinely need your thinking, not just your time
- No email left in an ambiguous 'I'll deal with it later' state
- A consistent daily or weekly habit that keeps the backlog from rebuilding