Guilt

Overview

Guilt is the unpleasant feeling that arises when you recognize that something you did, or failed to do, goes against moral standards or social norms. In developmental psychology, guilt is thought to emerge around age 2 to 3 and to play an important role in regulating social behavior. A moderate amount of guilt encourages prosocial behavior, but too much guilt can become a mental burden.

The guilt a question box creates

Question boxes can bring their own kind of guilt. Questions are piling up and you haven't answered them. You skipped a question someone took the trouble to send. Your answer ended up sloppy.

The guilt of ignoring questions in particular is something people who answer questions are prone to feel. Even if it's anonymous, someone took the time to write that question. Ignoring it feels bad. But you have no obligation to answer every question. Skipping questions you don't want to answer or can't answer is your legitimate right as the person answering.

Living with guilt

To deal with question box guilt, start by recognizing that it isn't an obligation. Your question box is a hobby, not a job. How fast you answer and which questions you answer are all yours to decide.

Announcing "I'm busy this week, so I'm taking a break from answering" is also an option. If guilt pushes you to keep answering when you can't keep up, the quality of your answers can drop, or the question box itself can become a burden. When you feel guilty is exactly when it matters to stick to your own pace.