If you were to steal my phone from me (which, please don't--all I have are 3,000+ photos of Forrest on there), you'd find something really shocking: when you get it unlocked, my little Mail button will show over 1,000 unread emails. That shockingly large red notification dot will stare at you, possibly the same way it stares at me.

They aren't pressing emails. Mostly. They're notification emails, sale emails, and marketing emails. If my mom emails me, or a freelance writing client emails me, I answer right away (...most of the time).

I occasionally set goals to delete (and unsubscribe to) unnecessary emails every evening. But after one evening, I forget or lose focus or just get tired of doing it. Then, two weeks later, I realize I have over 1,000 unread emails again.

I find email totally overwhelming. It used to be my preferred method of communication, but now, it stresses me out as much as face-to-face meetings. The sales and marketing emails are the worst: I simultaneously want everything they're trying to sell me (baby clothes! make up! underwear!) and am repulsed by their methods (those emojis in the subject line aren't fooling me, American Eagle!).

I'm trying to be better about clearing out my email and getting on top of it--and not letting it stack up like that. My ultimate goal? Have under 10 unread emails at any given time. We'll see how that goes.