Slate has published an interesting interview with “productivity wizard” Merlin Mann, whose Google Tech Talk introduced the now famous (infamous?) concept of “Inbox Zero.” Mann talks about how the idea has gotten distorted and misinterpreted over the years and what he was really trying to say.
‘Inbox Zero’ does not mean sit in your inbox all day and get rid of email—that’s quite the opposite of what I said, let alone intended.”
Mann says that the whole concept of “Inbox Zero” has been “willfully misperceived” and that it’s actually some kind of fun joke now.
“The truth of it is, the real zero is how much of your mind is on email,” he says. “I wouldn’t begin to say that’s a simple or easy problem to solve, but there are ways to do it. No matter what solution you come up with, it’s going to take a change of your own attitude, and then a very mindful attempt to [dedicate] yourself to having the life you want to have, rather than feeling led around by a bunch of bits and bytes on a computer.”