Think twice before you send an Email

Millions of people nowadays are working from home that requires flexibility. I have talked to many friends and colleagues regarding WFH. And after almost over 2 months, I have realized many factors are out of our hands. However, some of them can be controlled by us. 

One such thing is - when to send an email. As managers/leaders we need to understand the right time to send emails. It's very easy to think - "It's just a quick email. No big deal." But the reality is, an email is never just an email. To become great team members, your team members will reply you back at night too, but as a leader/manager you can help your employees/team members and set boundaries to keep them focused, calm, and productive. 

Here are two ways to encourage a healthy email culture at least while working from home. Firstly, schedule your send time. We understand we all have different responsibilities and daily routines, but you need to make sure that you don't send the email you've drafted at 12 AM. Instead schedule the email to go out during typical business hours. You need to ensure that your team members aren't overstressed by emails after hours. 

Secondly, get straight to the point. We often receive emails which we don't find useful and takes extra time of ours. If every email can be thought of as a request, make an effort to clarify what you want. This habit is particularly important for emails that address a large team or the whole company. Try to exclude the recipients if the email content is not for them.

As we're all trying to protect each other from the virus, you can support your teams by respecting their personal time. You can start by putting into place healthy and manageable email practices. Does your company have a healthy email culture?