A new GTD’er wrote to David Allen and asked:
My dear husband thinks you keep your Inbox to zero by not posting your email address on the internet and/or by having assistants respond to your email. I disagree. What say you?
David responded:
You keep your Inbox to zero by dealing with whatever shows up in there as rigorously as you do your answering machine at home. The access you give the world to create input is up to you. You have to decide what you want to invite/allow into your world, and match that with a behavior to process it at the same speed.
Well, I can tell you that several years ago, I got hold of David’s address and took the liberty of asking him a few clarifying questions. I had an answer back within 24 hours from a guy who had plenty of other things to do than answer an email from a stranger. That sealed it for me. -Gordon
As a fairly new GTDer, I’m hoping to never get to the point where I need an email assistant. :s