Twice a year, I get to a magical place:
All my email and Asana inboxes = empty
My Asana My Tasks = almost empty
Sounds impossible? I co-manage a 20-person company and have a to-do list that could eat most people alive.
Here’s how I pull it off — and keep it (mostly) under control year-round:
Aim for Inbox Zero every day
If you keep it clean daily, that “fully empty” state becomes much easier to hit.
Put things where they belong
Ideas → Idea Bucket
Actions for later / for others → Backlog Project or delegate directly
Discussion topics → Meeting Project
And tasks in those projects are not assigned.
Only show the next step
In complex projects (e.g., organising a webinar), I only keep the very next task visible in My Tasks. Everything else sits in “Later” until it’s time.
Detach from your ideas
They sit in the Idea Bucket. I revisit when I have time — not before. No need to keep them under my nose.
Cancel ruthlessly
If it’s not moving the needle, it goes. No guilt.
Time-block the important stuff
Big priorities for the week get calendar slots, due dates, and due times. They’re then hidden in “Later” until the day arrives.
The result?
When I want a clean slate, I’m never more than a couple of hours away from it. And there is no better feeling!
Bastien, Asana Expert
i.DO (Asana Partner: Services & Licenses)
