You subscribed to quality newsletters. Now your inbox has 200 unread emails and you feel guilty. Here is the fix.
The Problem Is Not You
Newsletters are great. The writing is good. The insights are valuable. The problem is email.
Email was designed for:
- Tasks
- Reminders
- Short messages
- Things that need responses
Email was NOT designed for:
- Long-form reading
- Content consumption
- Optional reading
- Dozens of publications
Mixing newsletters with work email creates two problems:
- Guilt - Every unread newsletter feels like a failed task
- Context switching - You are trying to read an essay between meeting reminders and package notifications
The format is broken. The content is still good.
Why Unsubscribing Does Not Work
The typical reaction to newsletter overload is mass unsubscribe.
Two weeks later you are resubscribing to the ones you actually missed. Because the problem was not too many newsletters. The problem was the wrong system.
Unsubscribing punishes good writers for email design flaws.
The Solution: Get Newsletters Out of Email
Most newsletter platforms offer RSS feeds:
- Substack: Add /feed to the URL
- Beehiiv: Look for RSS icon
- Ghost: Check /rss or /feed
- ConvertKit: Usually available
Take those RSS feeds and put them in an RSS reader like any-feeds. Now newsletters arrive on YOUR schedule, not theirs.
The Three-Folder System
Once newsletters are in RSS, organize them:
Folder 1: Must Read (5-10 feeds) Check daily. These are the writers you would drop everything to read.
Folder 2: Scan (20-50 feeds) Check weekly. Skim headlines. Read what catches your eye.
Folder 3: Archive (everything else) Check monthly or never. You want access, but not urgency.
Move feeds ruthlessly. If you skip a source 3 times in Must Read, it goes to Scan.
Why This Works
1. No inbox guilt Unread items in RSS do not feel like tasks. They just sit there until you are ready.
2. Better context You open your RSS reader when you want to READ, not when you are checking email between meetings.
3. One place for everything Newsletters, blogs, YouTube, podcasts - all in one feed. No switching between apps.
4. No tracking Email newsletters track opens and clicks. RSS feeds do not track anything.
5. Batch reading Check once or twice a day instead of being interrupted 47 times.
How to Set It Up (10 Minutes)
Step 1: Pick an RSS reader (any-feeds is free and simple)
Step 2: Find RSS feeds for your top 5 newsletters
- Substack: add /feed to the URL
- Others: look for RSS icon or check /rss
Step 3: Add them to your reader
Step 4: Turn off email delivery
- Most platforms let you disable emails while staying subscribed
- Or create a filter that auto-archives newsletter emails
Step 5: Check your RSS reader once a day for a week
You will notice:
- You read MORE because there is no guilt
- You enjoy it MORE because you are in control
- Your inbox is CLEAN
The Calm Alternative
Most people do not have too many newsletters. They have newsletters in the wrong place.
Email inbox = high stress, constant interruption, guilt
RSS reader = calm, on your schedule, no guilt
Same content. Different system. Completely different experience.
Try it: any-feeds.com