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GTD series: your email is not a to-do list [1]##

Why can't you use your email as a to-do list ? Here are the most important reasons.

1. In your email there are only tasks imposed by others. You do not control your email, it contains tasks/information pushed by others.
2. The email is a huge source of distraction. Email client's inbox contains various things: some are tasks, some are events/meetings, some are materials. These can't stay in the same global list "as it": they have to be processed and the results are to be dispatched to relevant lists or storage areas.
3. In your email, tasks are never well defined. Neither the subject, nor the body of an email clearly defines a task. The email contains information you have to analyze to create your own tasks, your own reference materials. And some of its information will be trashed by the way !
4. So, an email is not equal to a task.
5. There is no easy way to classify, organize and find your emails. Even with everything in its place, sorting and grouping emails are very limited features. Setting priorities and deadlines is complicated. Maintaining these items is very expensive.

Yes, Separate your email from your task management. When you are checking your inbox, just capture the necessary actions in your task manager.

1. From a facilethings.com article ↩