Just spent about ten minutes reading and watching the Inbox Zero guy (inboxzero.com). Let me give you a simpler version of email management.

1. Schedule time to read email. Don't read it otherwise. It is not IM. It is not a phone. And, you should turn those off most of the day also.
2. Read email early in the day, create scheduled work and response time. Read it again at a scheduled time later in the day. My schedule is 8:30AM and 1:30PM, as an example.
3. Archive or delete every single email one by one until you get done. Do it fast.
4. Every email should produce one of or a multiple of the following actions:
   • Delete and/or filter; do it with a vengeance. The goal is to clear it out. Create filters to set list email or "interesting, not important" email in a folder that doesn't clutter your inbox. Schedule play time or learning time to read those.
   • Unsubscribe from lists you no longer read or filter those email to folders you can peruse at your leisure.
   • Action. If you can solve it in minutes, do it. Then reply with the solution noted.
   • Scheduled action. If the work requires significant time or resources, immediately schedule the work and reply stating such. Make the last element on the task to notify (via email if necessary).
   • Answer. If you have a simple answer, just give it.
   • Defer. It's perfectly OK to say you can't or won't deal with the matter. If you know someone who can help, provide their name and contact information.
   • Never read email or spend time on bloviations while you have work to do. Besides, we have Facebook and Twitter for time wasting.
5. Do it all in a rush, quickly. Give it your full and undivided attention. Work to eliminate wasteful and trite communications. Keep your email short. Nobody bothers reading long drawn out explanations.
6. Never read an email twice. Read it, do something, take notes. But, don't waste time rereading email. If you archive it, it is for reference purposes only. Clean out your inbox.