From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Eric S Fraga Subject: Re: [OT] Emacs for email? Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:24:20 +0000 Message-ID: <878wdlh2sr.wl%ucecesf@ucl.ac.uk> References: <87aay17m3z.wl%ucecesf@ucl.ac.uk> <87iqcp3ai5.wl%jemarch@gnu.org> Reply-To: Eric S Fraga Mime-Version: 1.0 (generated by SEMI 1.14.6 - "Maruoka") Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1NFq8I-0005VS-LD for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:24:43 -0500 Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1NFq8D-0005Sv-8q for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:24:41 -0500 Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=52121 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1NFq8C-0005Sf-8k for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:24:37 -0500 In-Reply-To: <87iqcp3ai5.wl%jemarch@gnu.org> List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: jemarch@gnu.org Cc: Keith Lancaster , Org Mode List At Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:01:38 +0100, jemarch@gnu.org wrote: > > > I've moved to a "0 size mailbox" approach to handling my email > (which works well with org and, in fact, requires org to work at > all really) so this is not an issue for me. > > That sounds like an interesting approach. Could you elaborate on > that? Yes, I also have problems with my huge longstanding mailboxes > :( > google "zero email approach" and you'll get all kinds of blogs etc on this topic, including those that recommend the complete opposite approach (never delete email). For instance, here are two: http://interimvptoday.com/email-inbox-zero-versus-never-delete-email/ http://jeremy.zawodny.com/blog/archives/009311.html These and the others you will find allude to this approach fitting in with the more general GTD view, which is why org-mode is critical (for me) to get this working. The summary is 5 actions when dealing with new email: * Delete: just get rid of it (or archive it) * Delegate: get someone else to deal with it * Respond: if it takes just a few minutes, do it right now * Defer: put it on a todo list, archive it, and deal with it later * Do: handle whatever the email actually needs you to do The aim is to not have to go back to your inbox to see what you have to deal with -- that's what org-mode (or whatever) is for. Too much time is wasted trawling through huge inboxes looking for actions to respond to which means you're using an inbox as a todo list. This is not effective. Others will of course argue otherwise! All I can say is that I switched to this approach about 9 months ago and I couldn't go back! The stress relief is incredible...