What are we doing when we’re “doing email”?

I’m not going to go so far as defend doing email in lieu of more important things. But it seems like you could categorize that time in many different ways.

As an investor, some of that email is undoubtedly moving forward on deals you want to do, while some of it’s helping companies you’re invested in. As a CEO, some of my email is answering questions from my team (or talking with investors). This stuff isn’t so much “doing email” as “doing work.”

But that’s where they get you, I guess — the necessary work is mixed in with the voluntary, extra work.