We Need to Rethink Email Culture

An organized, up-to-date, and most importantly empty inbox—also called inbox zero—is a beautiful idea for most, but it remains an elusive dream. No matter organizations’ methods, the emails seem to pile up throughout the day, diverting our attention and overwhelming our capacity for communication. We need to understand that there is something fundamentally broken about the way we use email and that it’s up to everyone to fix it. If you want to protect your inbox, consider how you protect others. Make sure recipient lists are focused before hitting send. Does everyone on the list need to be on the thread? Also, consider if email is the best way for this communication to occur. Could it wait until the next conversation? It’s also helpful to consider the use of the blind carbon copy function. This way responses and replies don’t get out of control and veer off-topic. If a group discussion is necessary, consider calling a meeting. Overall, email needs to be used more sparingly than it currently is. With a little consideration and some added respect, we can all reach inbox zero.