Are you being bullied by your inbox? That was the question posed recently on the productivity podcast Change Your Game with GTD [Getting Things Done]. It hit a nerve as on that particular day my email inbox had me in a corner, turning out my pockets for lunch money.

We do not often refer to the email inbox as a bully, but the metaphor is apt. Some people are unlucky enough to have an inbox full of abuse, but even those of us who do not must watch it warily, ever alert for some fresh demand. The inbox commands our attention because its insistent requests can be so unpredictable. The consequences of non-compliance are unknown and unsettling, and there are always new demands on their way, leaving you feeling permanently on the back foot.

This year I have resolved to no longer be bullied by my inbox. It is time to step forward and fight back. But how?