Quick answer
Hand over your inbox in stages. Start with sorting only, then drafts for you to approve, then routine replies sent on their own. Most owners are comfortable with the full handover after about four weeks.
Email is usually the first thing owners want off their plate and the last thing they feel safe handing over. Both feelings make sense. The answer is to hand it over gradually, with clear rules, so trust is built on what you can see.
Before you start
- Set up delegate access. Gmail and Outlook both let someone manage your inbox without your password.
- Create a few folders or labels. For example: Needs you, Waiting for reply, Done, Receipts.
- Decide what is off limits. Legal, banking and personal emails can stay with you.
Week 1: Sorting only
Your assistant reads and sorts, and replies to nothing. At the end of each day they send you a short summary: what came in, what needs you, what can wait. You learn how they think, and they learn what matters to you.
Week 2: Drafts for your approval
Your assistant drafts replies to routine emails and leaves them for you to send. Correct them freely. Every correction teaches your tone.
Week 3: Templates
By now you’ll see the same questions coming up. Turn your best replies into templates for the common ones: prices, availability, how to book, where to send documents. Your assistant can send these without asking.
Week 4: Routine replies on their own
Your assistant now handles the routine emails fully and passes on only what needs your judgement. You check the “Needs you” folder once or twice a day and leave the rest.
Rules that keep it working
- Agree on a response time, such as within one working day.
- Agree on a sign-off. Some owners prefer the assistant to reply under their own name, such as “Ana, assistant to Maria”.
- When in doubt, ask. Make it clear that a question is always better than a guess.
- Log leads somewhere other than the inbox. An enquiry buried in email gets forgotten. I record mine in Tekmatix, so every follow-up has a date.
The bottom line
A staged handover takes about a month and gives you back the hours you spend in email every day after that. Go one stage at a time and don’t skip the first week, even if it feels slow.
Want a hand with your admin? Book a free 15-minute call, or see how my team works.
Book a free 15-minute callMeet the Admin Support TeamGet the free AI Admin Audit
Disclosure: the Tekmatix link in this post is my referral link. If you sign up through it, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.