Email inboxes are overwhelming because actually opening your email inbox can be so uncertain. “Who will need what, and can I actually give it to them?”
The act of opening your inbox is no big deal. Dealing with what your brain tells you will be waiting for you, is the hard part.
The flip side of this same coin is checking your email inbox compulsively. And not being able to leave your inbox refresh icon alone for fear of missing out on important information. With both options, we have extreme opposites that are both based in fear. So how do you simply open your emails on a day to day basis, without the fear?
Ask yourself what your fear is really about. For me, my fear was about not responding immediately to a paying client. I then realized that only I had the expectation of responding immediately and actually, most – if not all of my clients understand that thoughtful email replies take time.
Then I took action. I told clients upfront that I would always respond, but that it will typically be within 24-48 hours. This helped me lower my own expectations of myself. And at least have a cup of coffee before checking my inbox!
What is your fear when it comes to your inbox? And what is one thing you can do to stop that fear and to help you take a more objective, “no big deal” approach to opening your inbox?
