I spent this evening deleting several hundred, perhaps over a thousand emails, and have thousands left to go. It’s probably better that I don’t have the exact number - the unread emails in one account alone topped 3K when I began. And it isn’t as though I didn’t greatly need to use the time elsewhere. It’s one of those low priority but mid-importance things that is continually pushed aside unti the amount of work needed to address it reaches great proportions. It needs to be done - someday. But if I don’t start now, who knows when. And if I don’t keep hammering away at it, the digitally hoarded mail pile will just grow back. So by the help of the Lord, I’m establishing a new life rhythm. One day my inbox will once again be
So here’s a list of recommendations for addressing your pile of digitally hoarded email.
1. Clean out your inbox every day. Anything you leave in your inbox will just have to be opened and addressed later. If you must save something, try to give yourself a time limit or move it to a clearly labeled archive. However, beware having dozens of specially labeled archives that you never revisit...
2. Don’t procrastinate with your replies. If you can answer, why wait? This can be a digital application of Proverbs 3:27: “Withold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it”. Also, anything you leave now you still has to be addressed later. If you plan to address it, it can also help you avoid forgetting. If you never plan to address it, —> delete. This can be aided by the common recommendation to have a designated time during the day for email; setting aside the time can also alleviate the stress of putting something off due to feeling like you don’t have the enough to address it thoroughly.
3. Don’t fall for the promotional email subscriptions. This is the worst. Tonight I had hundreds and hundreds of daily emails that I never even opened from places at which I rarely spend a dime.
I still have a lot of work before me but I’m hoping to someday soon see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Cheers,
D.
