[Writing an e-mail message, for all its supposed informality, can also quietly ratchet up stress as people strive for the correct tone, grammar and pitch-perfect brevity. People] don't take the time to think things through, ... A lot of mistakes are made.

The influx of e-mail never stops, particularly in a global economy, ... You could always check e-mail. And people are still programmed to wait for things to calm down in order to do proactive stuff: 'When it quiets down, when I get through this flood, this batch, these to-dos, I will get proactive.' But there never is a quiet time.

Paper is the No. 1 problem for people. File as you go so you're not pulling out things at the end of the year that are stuffed in drawers and briefcases and boxes and handbags.

People figure they'll get to the personal stuff as soon as the work is finished,

When we're writing an e-mail, we make the assumption that we don't have to be as careful. That can be absolutely disastrous in a business setting.

Where do you get your ideas? people ask. Sometimes they’re at the bottoms of cups of tea. Sometimes they’re lurking in my shower. Sometimes they’re waiting patiently in glass cases in museums.