Why email still gets in the way of good work

A practical way to get back in control of your inbox

Email was designed to help us communicate.

For many people managers and people professionals, it now creates more pressure than clarity. Messages arrive faster than they can be processed, and inboxes become crowded with tasks, questions, updates and CCs. The result is a workday shaped around reacting, rather than making progress.

To help teams reset their habits, Productivity Ninja Lee and Head of Learning Success Deane ran a live Ninja Skills Booster on how to bring your inbox back under control in a simple, sustainable way.

You can now watch the recording on demand here.

Why email becomes overwhelming

Most inboxes grow because people are trying to keep up, not because they’re disorganised. Throughout the day, we scan, reopen, save for later and carry half-finished thoughts in our heads. As this builds, the inbox becomes a mix of tasks, reminders and unresolved decisions.

The impact is familiar:
• difficulty spotting what matters
• pressure to be constantly available
• hesitation about deleting anything
• a sense of being behind, even when you’re working hard

This isn’t a personal failing. It’s a workload and habit problem, and it can be fixed.

One change to try today

When a new message arrives, ask:

Does this need my action, someone else’s action, or no action at all?

This one question reduces re-reading, frees up mental space and stops the inbox from becoming a running to-do list.

If your team needs practical support to reduce email overload and work with more clarity, our Getting Your Inbox to Zero workshop gives them the habits, structure and confidence to stay on top of email long term.

The post Why email still gets in the way of good work appeared first on Think Productive UK.

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