How to clear your inbox faster by dictating replies
Email is the ideal candidate for dictation: it is almost entirely prose, it is high volume, and most replies are short. If you only adopt voice for one task, make it your inbox. Here is a routine that works.
Why email fits dictation so well
Unlike code or spreadsheets, email is just sentences. Modern dictation adds punctuation, drops filler, and can match a professional tone, so a spoken reply reads like a written one. The result is that you answer at the speed you think, not the speed you type.
A simple routine
- Triage first, dictate second. Scan the inbox and decide what needs a reply. Do not dictate while deciding.
- Dictate the reply in one pass. Say the whole message; do not stop to fix small things.
- Review, then send. Fix names, numbers, and links by keyboard. Everything else is usually fine.
Keep it human
Dictated email can actually sound warmer than typed email, because you talk the way you speak to people. Do not over-format. A quick, clear, spoken reply often lands better than a stiff typed one.
Watch-outs
- Check names and figures before sending; those are where dictation slips.
- In an open office, keep it quiet or step away. See dictation etiquette.
- Sensitive content: remember dictation is processed in the cloud by default.
For the setup, see Wispr Flow in Gmail, and for whether it is worth paying for, the review.