January 30th, 2008
I have 37,240 unread email messages...
I have the best intentions to read all my email messages but my road to hell is paved with them… Which is why I have 37,240 unread emails in my gmail account, my main email account.
They have accumulated over a 2 year span. And they are spam free (GOOG has a great spam filter.)
My problem is that I write for a living and I could easily spend all of my day reading and writing emails. But I only have a limited number of keystrokes at my daily disposal. Which means I have to make sure I use some of those keystrokes to write articles and posts. Which means I don’t get to read and answer all of my email.
It makes me feel guilty because I always intend to go back and do the right thing. But the longer I leave my unread emails the more they pile up. And the less I’m inclined to go to my inbox. Sometimes I wish I could just blow up my inbox and start fresh.
Please forgive me if you’ve sent me an email and I haven’t responded–it is not personal. It is just my inability to manage my inbox and the rest of my attention…
Tom Foremski reports on the business and culture of Silicon Valley at the intersection of technology and media. He also writes at Silicon Valley Watcher. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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| 01/30/08
