From: http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/05/technology/05basics.php

Your in-box should now be empty. Think of this as its optimal state — your goal, from now on, will be to keep this space as pristine as possible, either empty or nearly so. To realize that goal, live by this precept: Whenever you receive a new message, do something with it. Don’t read your e-mail and then just let it sit there — that’s a recipe for chaos.

Or for better answers.
Do we really need to answer and deal as fast as we can with our communication?
How about establishing a middle ground and letting simmer some of those e-mails a bit before oblit^^ answering?