Inbox: Empty

Today, I did the impossible: I got an empty inbox. What makes it even more incredible is that I did it without selecting every email at once and deleting it. I did it using the revolutionarily (a word as of now) simple process I learned in the book Bit Literacy.

This is how I personally deal with every email:

1) Personal email - read and delete (respond if needed or email as a future task to respond through gootodo.com, later covered).

Here is the interesting realization I had about personal emails: they are basically meaningless after they are read. In GMAIL I am able to archive all the emails (if I ever do need them), but more or less all of these emails are useless once you read them. Obvious but for some reason I never stopped to consider this.

2) Spam -> Delete and create a filter for that specifically so it goes directly to trash.

3) Anything of interest -> move to interesting read/FYI

4) Anything FYI that may be needed in future -> move to interesting read/FYI

5) Calendar info -> record in calendar and delete

6) To Do's - record to do list. Speaking of to do lists, the tool that I learned about Gootodo.com is brilliant. What it allows you to.. well actually it's just about 2 pm and nap time for me, so READ it for yourself ; ) : http://goodexperience.com/2005/10/introducing-gootodo-a-bitliter.php.

Here is the important thing: it is useless to read about time management and bit literacy for the sake of reading. There is no value in "knowing." The only value there is if you stop and use the information... and the only way to do this is through speedily implementing what you have learned.

Don't think or intellectualize, just stop what you are doing and take the time to implement. In the beginning it will be a weak habit that needs to be reinforced, but this is how ALL habits are formed. Good luck.