The Benefits of a Sender Filter

The default social conventions surrounding email is that unless you're famous, if someone sends you something, you owe him or her a response. For most, therefore, an inbox full of messages generates a major sense of obligation. By instead resetting your correspondence expectations to the reality that you'll probably not respond, the experience is transformed. The inbox is now a collection of opportunities that you can glance at when you have the free time seeking out those that make sense for you to engage. You could ignore them all and nothing bad would happen. Psychologically, this can be freeing.