Too Much Email
Well, Duh! Who doesn't have too much email? I've been fighting against the email glut for a while now but this past year has been the worst ever. And I'm not talking about SPAM...I'm talking about email that is actually intended for me personally, and that I have to respond to in some way. A couple of months ago, my inbox swelled to just over 1300 messages and so I went on a quest...a quest for the holy grail of email existence: the zero message inbox!
It has been extremely difficult, I must say, but on Sunday I was able to brag on Twitter that I had reduced that 1300 down to 18 messages! Even better, on Monday morning, I actually achieved a new all-time low of 16. But, they just keep coming. By Tuesday morning, I was back up to 63--again, I emphasize that this is not SPAM. I have to do at least something with each of these suckers....
So, after a hard day's work, I'm back down to 23, but that zero count still seems like it is a long way away. Stay tuned, though. With a couple of decent hours of work tonight, I think I might be able to get back down to record-breaking range. And who knows, maybe by the end of the month I can get down to single digits.
Categories:
Technology
5 comments:
I was wondering how I got almost instantaneous responses from you! Now I see, though, that I was just part of the mounting email problem.
Ones that I can respond to immediately aren't the problem--I like those ones! It's the ones I can't quite figure out what to do with that sit around for days and weeks that cause consternation.
By the way, I got it down to 15 before I went to bed. But, back up to 37 by the time I hit the office this morning. But, back down to 19 now... Today's goal of single digits is within the realm of possibility....
this is why people are so addicted to their blackberries! you can just zap them as they come in, no matter where you are or what you're doing.
oh my gosh. i am also email overwhelmed far more in the past year than every before. i have never made it to zero, i think around 23 is my all-time best, but my typical goal these days is just to stay below 50.
I just started to email you, then did the type-delete-type-delete routine, trying to figure out how to minimize the demand my message would place on your time and attention... contemplated my decision to stick to personal correspondence rather than blog the long story version (which could even develop into a gripping series!)... then decided to check your blog... and so now I'm reconsidering the blog series. No--apologies in advance, but I'm going to email you!
Post a Comment