However, from a practical and psychological point of view, there can. Research shows that we can only attend effectively to around 7 things, plus or minus 2.

The hundreds of different tangents that come at us via e-mail can overload us psychologically, causing stress and productivity paralysis, if they are not managed well.

Just as with physical resources, there is a big split in the world. Those who have too much, and those who have too little. I am very encouraged by education initiatives in the emerging economies and the access to knowledge that the Internet is bringing them. I only hope that we give them something attractive to live up to.

I wonder if companies and schools will take up the recommendation for training people on e-mail. It isn’t quite as bad as throwing someone the keys to a light aircraft and saying “go on, give it a try”, but it is almost the equivalent from a personal productivity perspective.