Detoxing from My Email Addiction

My name is Crawford, and I’m an email addict.

It started out as a subtle affair: just a quick check of my inbox every now and then to see if there was anything at work that needed my attention.

But over time, the habit got got worse.

Over the past few months, I began to notice that I was checking email all. the. time. First thing when I woke up in the morning, last thing before I went to bed.

Waiting to order at my favorite coffee shop?
Email.

A few minutes in between phone calls at work?
Oh, I need to respond to that client…

20 minutes before my next meeting?
Maybe I can get to inbox zero!

Note: you can replace this compulsive email-checking behavior with nearly any digital activity. For some, it’s Instagram. For others, texting. It doesn’t matter the activity we choose to distract ourselves with — what does matter is the very fact that we’re incapable of just sitting, waiting, with nothing to do, nothing to distract us.

My inbox has become a modern-day idol. It’s an object to which I return day after day, wondering what it will bring forth for my amusement, pleasure, or professional pursuits. It’s like a…