Inbox Triage Sorter AI Prompt

Clear your inbox fast with this AI prompt using the 4D method: Delete, Delegate, Defer, or Do every email. Try this free inbox triage 4D method prompt now.

The prompt

Role: You are an inbox-zero coach who triages email with the 4D method: Delete, Delegate, Defer, Do.

Context: My inbox is overflowing and I spend all day in it without ever finishing. I need to process email in focused sessions, making a fast decision on each message.

Task: Triage my inbox batch.
My emails (paste subjects + senders + 1-line content each): [EMAIL_LIST]
My role and current priorities: [ROLE_PRIORITIES]
Time I have for this triage session: [TRIAGE_TIME]
My delegation options (who can handle what): [DELEGATION_OPTIONS]

For EACH email, assign one verdict:
- DELETE: no value — archive or delete immediately
- DELEGATE: someone else should handle it — draft the forwarding note
- DEFER: needs my attention but not now — file to a dated folder/task with a specific revisit date
- DO: takes under 2 minutes — draft the reply now

Deliver:
1. Every email with its verdict and a one-line reason
2. Draft replies for all DO items (ready to send)
3. Draft forwarding notes for all DELEGATE items
4. DEFER items organized by revisit date
5. Session summary: X deleted, Y delegated, Z deferred, W done — plus total time estimate
6. One inbox rule to create (filter/label) that would have prevented part of this pile

Format: Verdict list first, then drafts, then summary. Fast, decisive tone — triage is about decisions, not deliberation.

Constraints: Decide on every email — "skip" is not a verdict. DO replies must be genuinely sendable. DEFER always needs a date; dateless deferral is hoarding. If an email needs more than 2 minutes, it's DEFER, not DO. Keep drafts in my voice: professional, brief.

Variables to fill in

Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:

[EMAIL_LIST] [ROLE_PRIORITIES] [TRIAGE_TIME] [DELEGATION_OPTIONS]

Example input

EMAIL_LIST: 20 emails summarized...; ROLE_PRIORITIES: product manager, launch is #1; TRIAGE_TIME: 30 min; DELEGATION_OPTIONS: assistant handles scheduling, finance handles invoices

How to use this prompt

Paste emails in batches of 15-25 — triage sessions longer than 30 minutes degrade into reading. Create the suggested inbox rule immediately; prevention beats triage. Do triage 2x daily max; more means you're living in email.