7 Reasons to Keep the Inbox Empty - Part 1

This is part 1 of the 7 Reasons to Keep the Inbox Empty

#1: An overloaded inbox causes stress

The inbox is often filled with a backlog of weeks or months of old work yet to be accomplished, messages that need a reply (including an apology for being so tardy), and irrelevant messages that have to be weeded out.

Even if none of the emails require any action, they are still ‘unfinished business’, which require filing or deleting at some point in the future, (either by you or the IT department).

This backlog of unfinished email creates a ‘psychological drag’ that slows down your mental clarity and focus. Many report feelings of being overwhelmed, guilty and ‘out-of-control’ - there’s often a nagging, subconscious sense you’re not keeping up with everything, that your work is never up-to-date, and that you’re constantly playing ‘catch up’.