I love this idea. It’s a great approach to reduce being to connected or addicted to the internet. I use Sanebox to filter out spam and marketing emails. I also use inbox pause. On good days, I’m only unpausing my inbox from 4-7pm or so.

Buy a domain, set up domain privacy so your contact information is not out in the public and then use a email provider where you can host your domain for email only. This makes things really private for everyone and cuts down on the distractions.

Using your own domain is by far the best option. Here's a tip that give you the best email experience that I've used since the 90s (and yes, the internet was more fun back then, inc. no PC BS):

Create a separate folder, tag or label (depending on your email system) and use a filter as a white list. Anyone that you feel worthy, add to the filter, which then automatically filters those people to the folder/ tag / label. Check and get notifications only for this folder / tag / label.

Done.

Check everything else once a week, once a month, whenever you feel like it.

Back when everyone and their dog told me about getting email spam, and marvelling that so many males wanted certain enhancements, "not us!" cried all the men I knew, that's when I would surprise everybody by saying I don't get any spam. I still don't.

I would read about people at their workplace using up some of their work time weeding out spam, and how it hurt their productivity, and there I was, not getting any.

My only possible explanation was that, except for Live Journal, I never clicked on surveys, and more importantly, I never clicked on anything free. Never. None. No way. And no sending "free" greeting e-cards.

I should add that I have always used a Macintosh that came with a free spam filter. But still, I never got to know the joys of exploring spam .

I kind of accomplished the same thing with my Gmail account by creating a filter that looks for the text 'subscribe' in the email. Gmail has those emails skip the inbox and adds a label called 'subscribed' to it. I'll skim those emails once a day.

The only emails I get in my inbox (and notifications) are the real ones. It's been amazing.

Every once in a while a company will switch things up and change the wording of their unsubscribe link/text. I'll add those to the filter when they crop up.

I've been using this strategy for quite awhile—but I put it in three:
1. An email address for online signups, mailing lists, social media accounts etc.
2. A (private-ish) work email
3. A (completely private) personal email

I've also recently added a fourth account for when encrypted email is a necessity.

I find this works really well in parsing out the notifications to be meaningful again.

Totally agreed that I already did it a while ago. A have a personal email just for really close people. And guess what I got the idea from you (sort of) when I read your book for the first time. I watch your website I decided I needed a private email just for the people I really want to get emails from. And always i got an email there I know is something important for me.

What about having an inbox through a G-Suite subscription?

Is it the same thing as Fastmail, Posteo, etc? Or will Google dig data anyway?

Would never have learned as much as I have without the internet.

Finding the Tim Ferriss show, listening to him interview you at a time when I was searching for answers, led me to email you a short novel, and you replying with a simple answer which completely changed the direction of my life.

It’s pretty amazing.

Social Media is a whole different story.

I agree. I am trying to use email and email lists to stay in touch and engage people.....Want to hear something else shocking? I write letters....actual letters with a pen.

Patrick

Great idea. Might want to use ProtonMail.

Like most folks, I have to work to make a living. I’m almost 50 and a freelance audio engineer. The last 25 years have been tough on my trade. I have to have a social media presence and use modern app company platforms to generate new clients. Just to survive. It’s a have to take every job kind of business plan where I live. I haven’t received a personal email in years. Folks just text me. I’d love to check out from on online life but that’s a luxury I doubt I will ever enjoy. I think this idea probably helps if you have a popularity problem. I don’t. Just my 2 cents.

I feel you.

I did quit Facebook twice in a a few years, always getting back because of marketing reasons, to promote what I do. Also using Instagram for that only.

I use socials just for that matter.

I'm not sure it's a good idea to get rid of socials at the moment for me even if I would love it.

I think I should take advantage of it for a while to build my tribe (e-mail list and interactions on my own website, plus a platform like Bandcamp Subscriptions), as most people hang out on socials.

I'm looking forward for that time when I can stop posting on socials and interact via the other mediums.

Same here, never liked or used social media much. A couple times a year i want to send pics of my children to family. I do it by message or email.

Not sure why you need to pay for an email account to do what you suggest?

I really agree.

Hey Derek! I like the approach my man!

I always like the saying "What's rare is valuable."
If writing letters, meeting in person, shaking hands, making phone calls is rare these days then guess what... it might be more valuable.

Of course not everything that's rare is valuable, but when evaluating what ways to reach out and create value in my business and the world, I look for the rare ways.

Congratulations...

I am not a public enough person to receive much email. I have largely unsubscribed from mailing lists I don't care about. Now I receive email only from people I care about, from lists I have intentionally stayed on (including this website's list! -- I think I have 4 blogs I follow this way), and anything I might need to keep track of (ie, my flight on Saturday). I receive very little email, and it is all personally useful to me. I love it.

I do feel roped into Facebook a bit involuntarily though. So many groups are on there for networking and for online courses I've done. Hmmm.
Otherwise, I actually feel better when I accidentally leave my phone at work or home . . . which is pretty interesting!

Thank you for recommending fastmail four years ago. One of your many good suggestions.

Derek. This is a very useful post. Thank you for sharing

I love you Derek Sivers.

Hi Derek,
This is something I’ve been thinking about for sometime (especially given gmails lack of privacy) What about a work email? I mean, I would like to start my own website and purchase a domain. In this case you would recommend getting separate email address for personal and professional?
Also is there an email mailbox app that you recommend?
Also I share your feelings about social media, unfortunate I still use it to find interesting events, for some social circles and for some aspects of work. I try not to “contribute” to it but I know even page view and minutes on the site counts for their metrics.
Thank you for the daily posts, it was your recent email that brought them to my attention.
Definitely! Use your own domain, and route its DNS to Fastmail. That's what I do, and love it. — Derek

Less is more. Our 'life' time is limited. Use it wisely. Indeed.

Thanks for pointing out a problem I didn't even know I had - fixing it asap ✌🏼

Thanks

Couldn't agree more. Hope you are well Mr Sivers, wind is blowing a hoolie here in Taranaki but I am holding out for summer. So nice to hear from you again, liz

I see your point, Derek. My email is loaded with junk, for the most part. I will actually do some serious consideration on your suggestion.

I used to have this but then ended up with extra complexity.
Then I decided to unsubscribe from 98% of the mailing lists, automatically filter the other 0,02% and have only one email account.

if you use internet for ordering things (flights, books, etc) to which email would you send these order confirmations, bank statements,... ? Also to the general email address?

which forces one to then check two accounts?! seeing the other emails...
or figure out which email (private or general) one used to register for a website.

I use "thunderbird" to check emails. No need to log in to diff email accounts separately. Just open one "thunderbird".

I love this. Will do. But what do you use when you want to email a larger list? i.e. blog post, new project, ec. Mailchimp doesn't seem to be ideal....
Send directly from your server. Amazon SES. Sendgrid. Many options. — Derek

I love the idea of a private email account. I've had my own domain for ages, but the primary address (duncan@...) is polluted beyond repair. Although, Gmail does a fantastic job of weeding out spam.

One lesson I learnt here - if you're picking a new domain primarily for the purposes of email, make it something easy to spell and unambiguous when you hear it.