Is 'INBOX ZERO' really zen?

I'm not too bothered about inbox zero because we live in a world of digital communication so that sense of relief will only be replaced by one of dread once the next piece of correspondence pings into place and that's not a good feeling. 

But what I have been doing during my time on furlough is to look at what is being sent to me and removing myself from subscription lists that aren't relevant any more, or actually dealing with queries rather than flagging them for later or putting them in a folder of relevance. I appreciate that I have more time to do this at the moment but I know that it will be beneficial to me once my life is busy again. It's all part of my reset process for the new normal that is now, and that is our future. 

In a sense, I'm actually dreading going back to work because I know the pressure and hectic nature of my job will sweep me off my feet straight away but, if I'm being totally honest, I've really missed the routine and the challenges (remind me of this when I moan about it next time). I'm hopefully laying foundations now for a more gentle downtime which will help me to focus and make me feel more worthwhile. 

(PS. this post was inspired by something I read on Rebecca Bradley's Instagram grid where she was talking about productivity.  You might also find my keynote speech on time management useful.)