#5 of 7 Reasons to Keep the Inbox Empty

#5: Avoids procrastination and indecision

A cluttered in-box results from (and also leads to) a lack of decision-making and causes procrastination. When faced with an overwhelming number of decisions to make (eg: an overloaded inbox), we tend to procrastinate and make no decision at all.

We need to learn to make a 4D decision the first (and only time) we look at an e-mail. Once you realise that there ever only ever one of four possible decisions needed for each new message, it becomes much easier to make a decision and then action the e-mail, moving it out of the in-box.

The psychological ‘drag’ of ‘unfinished business’ in the inbox

Otherwise, the weight of ‘unfinished’ business hanging over your head creates a mental ‘drag’ and you carry this sub-conscious, psychological baggage around throughout the day. It’s that vague sense of unease so many of us have about what still needs to be done and the feeling that we’re not up to date with what’s in the inbox.

It also slows you down in other areas of work, cluttering your focus and attention, especially when you need to think deeply, deal with complex issues or be creative.

Your time is too valuable to waste on procrastination!