[aytekin]

The best approach I found: Process emails in batches from oldest to newest until you have an empty inbox. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/290175

[stronglikedan]

Always go newest to oldest, lest you find that the older ones that you're spending time on are no longer relevant and your time has been further wasted.

[gioele]

Read newest to oldest; act upon/replay from oldest to newest.

[stronglikedan]

Makes sense.