Recipe: Inbox Zero
Process the inbox to zero using category-first triage. Work through categories in priority order, then take action on each email.
Prerequisite: Read the use-spark base skill for command reference and filter syntax.
Access level required: triage.
Steps
Step 1: Scan by category (use recipe-inbox-by-category)
Process inbox in priority order:
spark emails Inbox --filter "category:priority is:unread"
spark emails Inbox --filter "category:personal is:unread"
spark emails Inbox --filter "category:invitation"
spark emails Inbox --filter "category:notification is:unread"
spark emails Inbox --filter "category:newsletter newer_than:7d"
Step 2: Review and act on each email
For emails that need attention, read the thread:
spark thread <id>
Then decide the action:
Archive - handled or informational, no further action needed:
spark action archive <id>
Move to folder - needs filing:
spark action moveToFolder <id> --folder "user@example.com:Projects"
Mark as done - completed/resolved:
spark action markAsDone <id>
Pin - important, need to come back to:
spark action pin <id>
Snooze - not relevant now, revisit later:
spark action snooze <id> --date 2026-04-10
Set aside - save for later review:
spark action setAside <id>
Step 3: Batch process notifications and newsletters
For categories with many items, batch archive:
spark action archive <id1> <id2> <id3> <id4>
Step 4: Verify
spark emails Inbox --filter "is:unread"
Confirm the inbox is clear or report what's left.
Tips
- Work through categories in order - don't jump to newsletters before handling people mail.
- Batch archive is efficient for notifications: list them, confirm with the user, then archive all at once.
- Pin or snooze items that need future attention rather than leaving them unread.
- If an email needs a reply, use
spark draft --reply-to <id>and then archive - the draft keeps the task alive. - If you spot miscategorized contacts while triaging, use
spark contact-action changeCategory*to reclassify all future mail from that sender.