I check my emails once daily, and I encourage you to also!

Productivity seems to be all we are discussing these days, at least on the many zoom calls and in-person coffees I now am attending. We are regressing, going back into high levels of "always" on, email sending and internet spamming. I don't have time for it, and instead, I focus my energy on getting something done well and right, play a game of who can send or reply to that email quicker.

As an entrepreneur, I would be the first to say that the concept of work-life balance is not as structured as other job roles; the fluidity and flexibility of the part itself mean that you overstep your boundaries and allow others to do the same. No one is at fault - it's the system, the hustle and the priorities we've chosen to set.

After two years of successful hustling, I have decided it's time to take control of my calendar truly. Visibly, I am an entrepreneur, author, radio presenter, and content creator, amongst many other things ... Behind the scenes, I suffer from chronic migraines, high levels of energy (anxiety) and other neurodiverse traits.

For that reason, I check my emails daily and encourage this same approach, especially for my team.

Why? According to new research, we spend 28% of our day on emails and checking our inboxes 11 times an hour.

I can only imagine what else I could be doing with that time.

How do you set the work-life balance email boundaries?

1. Have a clear out of the office or automated message
2. Communicate what else you may be doing with your day or why you are making this change
3. Introduce the relevant links for emergencies or call bookings
4. Re-direct to any relevant material
5. Consciously attempt to stick to your own guidelines

Templates for you

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SONYA BARLOW IS AN AWARD-WINNING ENTREPRENEUR, FOUNDER OF?@LMFNETWORK , DIVERSITY COACH, TEDX SPEAKER, LINKEDIN CHANGEMAKER 2021, LINKEDIN TOP VOICE 2022, RADIO HOST?BBC ASIAN NETWORK'S THE EVERYDAY HUSTLE ?AND AUTHOR OF?UNPREPARED TO ENTREPRENEUR .

IN 2020, SHE WAS NAMED AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN TECH (COMPUTERWEEKLY), WINNER OF THE WOMEN IN SOFTWARE CHANGEMAKERS (MAKERS AND GOOGLE), TOP 50 BAME ENTREPRENEURS (TECHROUND), FUTURE SHAPER 2020 (MARIE CLAIRE), AND FORBES 30 UNDER 30 SHORTLIST RUNNER UP 2021. SHE HAS DELIVERED TWO?TEDX TALKS ?AND IS ACKNOWLEDGED AS AN INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER. SONYA HAS HAD HER ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN METRO NEWSPAPER, SIFTED EU, AND TELEGRAPH.

As you know, LinkedIn Changemakers is a force-for-good, always-on campaign, spotlighting individuals like yourselves, whom each represents causes that impact the world of work; Mental Health, The Future of Work, Gender Equality, Racial Equality, LGBTQ+ Equality, Equality for professionals with Disabilities, Sustainability, and overcoming Unemployment/Career Setbacks. With LinkedIn's vision being "to drive economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce", the Changemakers programme is just one of several initiatives by LinkedIn to show their stance that everyone should have equitable access to opportunity and work. LinkedIn is also partnered with?UK Youth ,?10,000 Black Interns , and?MyKindaFuture's ?Connect ?programme in the UK. Find out more here .

This article was written as part of the LinkedIn #Changemakers campaign – a campaign shining a spotlight on individuals using LinkedIn to drive genuine change in the world of work. To find out more about the partnership, read more here. And if you want to join the conversation, share the one thing you'd like to change about the world of work in a post on LinkedIn with the hashtag #ConversationsForChange.