How to functionally abandon email

Let's face it: Email is a drag. 

Whatever shine unsolicited links and messages once had back in the early days of the internet is long gone. Today, the contents of your inbox are likely closely aligned with that of your cellphone's voicemail — unwanted and unchecked. 

It doesn't have to be this way. It's within your power to functionally give up email. It is surprisingly easy, and feels so, so good.  

First off, let's all agree that writing and replying to emails is a pain. Even the companies that provide the service know it's unbearably tedious. Google has tried to make things less burdensome on the senders' end with Gmail's Smart Reply and Smart Compose features, and on the receivers' end with Nudges, but those are just annoying Band-Aids on the festering wound of obligation.   Read more...