Inbox bursting its seams!

My inbox has finally reached proportions never before seen by me - 666 messages waiting to be read, replied to and action taken. Besides the fact that it is a terribly unlucky number, I usually keep the no. of messages below 100, so the pressure has been mounting for me to clear it.

I am sorely tempted to just delete them all sight unseen....so how did all those emails accumulate?

OK, looking at the types of emails:
10% people I really want to write a nice long, considered reply to
10% sales leads
80% newsletters that impart really useful information (or so I think), such as those from Harvard Business School, Wharton Business School, New York Times, Seth Godin's blog, Microsoft, Daily Candy, The Times Online, numerous start-up advice & etc.


I realised about 6 months ago that it was becoming rather obsessive, compulsive, this quest of mine, to want read everything that is out there that would (could?) vaguely enrich my life in some shape form or other.

So I ruthlessly unsubscribed to all non-essential newsletters - so why have I still so many to go through? Self-inflicted I fully admit but which ones to eliminate?

Plus I really do enjoy reading these e-newsletters.
Never mind that the marketer in me knows that e-newsletters are just ploys to ensure that their brands are top of mind, etc.
There is this other part in me that whispers insidiously - ''What if there is some vital piece of information or great business idea that I miss out on if I don't read that email?''
I mean a gal has to keep up with the latest trends in business, technology, marketing, lifestyle, right?

Oh yes, I'm not even counting the emails that I have already moved into the 'to read later' folder. Will my folders ever be empty?

How many emails do YOU have in your inbox at the moment?