Just realized I used to answer every email instantly and now I batch them twice a day

I burned out hard last year trying to be 'always on' for my team in Chicago. Now I check my inbox at 10am and 3pm only, and my focus is way better. Anyone else set specific times to handle messages?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice2694d ago

Checking your inbox only twice a day sounds like a dream. I could never pull that off with my boss expecting replies within an hour. @felix_williams71 muting Slack until after lunch is a bold move too. My whole team would panic if I went dark like that. It's crazy how different workplaces have such different rules. I'm stuck in the always-on cycle and it's exhausting.

the_susan19h ago

The "always-on cycle" you mentioned is real. I used to feel guilty for not answering emails right away until I realized most things just aren't that urgent. Your boss expecting replies within an hour sounds like a trust issue more than a work one. Felix is onto something with muting Slack, but it only works if the whole team knows you're doing it. Otherwise, like you said, people just panic.

felix_williams714d ago

Oh man, the email thing. I used to have my phone buzz for every single Slack message and it drove me nuts. Now I just mute everything until after lunch.