An inbox works as a staging area 2.14.11 that creates a natural pressure to act. Unlike streams that can grow indefinitely, inboxes are designed to stay empty. Each new item creates a small amount of pressure – an email needs a response, a document needs to be filed, a note needs to be processed into your permanent system.

The pressure from an inbox is useful: it drives you to make decisions and move items to their final destinations. However, an inbox that grows without processing turns this useful pressure into overwhelming anxiety.

Inboxes are revisable by nature – items can be deleted, forwarded elsewhere, or modified during processing. They’re aimed at quickly assessing what needs your attention rather than preserving historical context.

See also: 2.14.11.1 for comparison with streams.