I felt less stressed now that my first thoughts of the day didn't revolve around the drama of what was inside of my inbox. I noticed that my days went by faster and my mood was more pleasant. I found myself starting the day with the feeling you get after a good workout, full of dopamine and energy.
In full disclosure, at first this method made me slightly more anxious and stressed. Without looking at my email daily, I was convinced I was missing big things. I didn't sleep for a few nights, feeling panic over missed opportunities and people getting mad for not replying.
But that wasn't the reality. What happened was that when I did check my email, rather than read what people sent me and forget to respond or put off responding, I formed more intentional responses and replied promptly. This helped me clear my inbox consistently for the first time in years, and made me feel like I reclaimed and owned my day.