So Much E-Mail, So Little Time...

I have a problem and so do you: too much e-mail. And despite whatever innovation we bring to the problem, nothing works. How much is too much? It's like pornography; you just know it. For the uninitiated, if you stop looking at anything but new arrivals and have lost count of your in-box's current tally, take pleasure in mass deletion or stop checking altogether, you have too much e-mail. 

I pride myself in keeping no more than 40 in my in-box. To do this I file aggressively, delete what I don't need and act upon anything I can get through quickly. These tricks are David Allen's, an organization guru. My actions have repercussions, however: I delete jokes, so I laugh less and I delete news feeds, so I know less. Not good; I suffer in ways I cannot imagine...

There's not enough time to read it all and still enjoy books and magazines, my two favorite past times I used to pass time with back when I had time to pass. E-mail is strange; it blends work and play. It enables incredible productivity yet burdens us with an endless stream of To-Do's. Whether mixing business and pleasure is a good mix or not doesn't matter - it's too late to turn back now. Find a way way to get through it all, force yourself to like it and move on.