In most cases, I don't rely on my email inbox to track tasks. If an email requires follow up, I flag/star it and move on to the next email, circling back to handle the follow up whenever I intend. If it's something I don't anticipate handling that same work-day, I add a task to Things (https://culturedcode.com/things/) so I don't lose sight of it. You could just as easily use something like Wunderlist (https://www.wunderlist.com/en/) or even your smartphone's reminder/task list utility.
The key is to keep the list simple. I drop these "daily" tasks on a task queue, ordered by priority. If I find something slipping down the queue too far (which implies it's been there too long), I'll either delegate it, or fire off a quick email to the person letting them know that I received their message, but haven't been able to take action on it.
When I explain this to people, they insist that they're far too busy to handle their inbox/task flow like this. IMO, this is a good indication that you're overcommitted. If you can't keep a simple list of the things you need to do, then you're over-burdened, and you need some help. That or you're simply kidding yourself.
The key is to keep the list simple. I drop these "daily" tasks on a task queue, ordered by priority. If I find something slipping down the queue too far (which implies it's been there too long), I'll either delegate it, or fire off a quick email to the person letting them know that I received their message, but haven't been able to take action on it.
When I explain this to people, they insist that they're far too busy to handle their inbox/task flow like this. IMO, this is a good indication that you're overcommitted. If you can't keep a simple list of the things you need to do, then you're over-burdened, and you need some help. That or you're simply kidding yourself.