Email is a Problem for an Email Packrat

This afternoon, I spent nearly an hour cleaning out my email inbox at work. After doing this, I realized that I will have to clean out another of my email folders, because now basically all the project related emails that I have are dumped in there. I also realized that email pack-ratting tendencies can become a huge problem of time management. Because, much like my desk during a work storm, I can't find anything when I want to. 

I have always had an email problem. I admit that I have a problem, but I just can't help myself: I love email. I love reading emails and responding immediately.  I love sending emails. I like email more than I like the phone. And I like the phone. Email is most often like a wonderful surprise, and I love surprises! The problem with email is, though, that I just get so much of them. On any given day, between all of my accounts, I probably get about 150 to 200 personal or work related emails.  At least. Some days the amount is far higher. 

The numbers add up fast, and in the past two weeks I haven't been really diligent about cleaning my inbox out at work. There are lots of reasons, none of them good. I am busy. I feel guilty deleting that joke, or that flirtatious banter, because hey, re-reading emails is half the fun. And  when I go through old emails, I don't want to delete them, because what if I need them again?  I like records of things. I keep receipts. So of course I keep emails!  Yep, none of my reasons are very good. 

So this afternoon,  I did delete the email, and I did clean out my work inbox. I have a new streamlined inbox of about 100 emails, all of which are more or less relevant.   Going forward, I vow to not let my love of email outweigh my common sense knowledge that an inbox of over 1000 emails is just plain unwieldy.  But I do this every time. And that buzzing sound, that's my blackberry. I just got another email!