Let’s Explore the Paradox of Email Congestion
In our quest to improve efficiency, we often find ourselves in a paradoxical situation, much like the phenomenon observed on expanding roadways.
As roads get wider, they attract more traffic, leading to greater congestion. This theory, known as induced demand, holds true for email inboxes as well.
Consider the popular saying, ‘If you want something done, give it to the busiest person.’ This idea parallels the behavior of email traffic.
An inbox, like a spacious road, tends to attract more content. The emptier it is, the more it seems to invite a flood of messages.
Does an empty inbox truly signify productivity, or is it an unwitting invitation for more clutter? The answer is clear: an empty inbox can, paradoxically, lead to more incoming emails.
For instance, ‘power users’ dealing with over 50 emails a day often face increased challenges in workplace communication.
Surprisingly, despite handling more emails, they encounter difficulties in accessing and managing information and meeting performance targets.
This is akin to paying a ‘dumb tax’ for email overload.