Correspondence

The secret to life, I reckon, is to do less.

It’s that simple.

Exhausting

We’re drowning in noise.

Especially a people pleaser like me. I can feel my energy sapped by every unanswered messaged. It’s exhausting.

Napoleon had a wonderful way of dealing with this:

“It was a whimsical economy of the same kind which dictated [Napoleon’s] practice, when general in Italy, in regard to his burdensome correspondence.

He directed Bourrienne to leave all letters unopened for three weeks, and then observed with satisfaction how large a part of the correspondence had thus disposed of itself and no longer required an answer.”

Isn’t that good.

It’s a lovely idea to respond to everyone, but do that and you’d be employed in nothing else.

Besides, no one really cares.

When I have an inbox full of unanswered emails the narrative in my head is they’re eagerly waiting my response. They’re not, of course. They’re too bogged down in their own correspondence.

I doubt they even remember they emailed. I’m certainly not sparing much thought to the thousands of my emails that go unanswered.

Underemployed

It’s not just correspondence:

Meetings, to do lists, you name it.