Email is a magnificent tool for both social and marketing communication but it is possible to overdose on it. Just like water which is pleasant, quenching and necessary to life itself can become lethal if you drink too much of it, email is best considered an element of your overall schedule to be time managed just like any other aspect of your business day. The vast majority of online users (and let’s face it, who isn’t) tend to check their email very shortly after opening their eyes in the morning. Many even keep their smartphones on their nightstands so that they can catch up with their emails and social media posts before they even get out of bed! There are some very good reasons why you might want to schedule your first email review a bit later in the day.
If You Usually Reply at 6:30 am, They’ll Come to Expect It
One of the most important reasons to put off the first daily email read is that most people tend to wake up at about the same time every day, and if you are firing off replies to everyone who wrote to you they will come to expect that reply at that time and may be disappointed if you put them off. Anyone anywhere in the world can readily check a time zone map site and determine what your regular business hours are in your place on the globe. If you have them accustomed to receiving fully comprehensive replies by 6:30 am in your time zone, they will just take for granted that you are at their beck and call every waking moment. Although that can be a very positive business merit in some industries, in many others there really isn’t anything that urgent that it can’t wait until the conventional nine to five Monday to Friday time slot. After all, you’re marketing widgets, you’re not running an emergency room.
Explain that You’ll Reply in Full Later in the Day
Even when you are operating in traditional office hours, you don’t have to feel the pressure of blowing your entire day’s productivity schedule because you have to compose countless tomes and you have to do it right this minute. Even the most urgent query can be readily addressed with a short, custom written note (not boilerplate autoresponder) that informs the sender that you have received their message and that you will be delving into the issues raised and provide a full response at a later time that day or even on the next business day. Your email recipient will appreciate the fact that you are keeping them informed as to the progress of their query and will certainly understand that a reply which is crafted upon reflection and research is going to be preferable to an instant reply.
Set a Firm Email Checking Schedule
Email is important but it’s very rarely a life and death issue, so selecting a particular number of times during the day when you will be checking email and addressing whatever issues need your attention is going to work wonders for your productivity. If you set a firm schedule to check your email at 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm and reply accordingly you will certainly be able to live up to the expectations that nearly any customer or colleague would ever have in any industry sector.
You’ll Handle Negative Email Better Once You’re in Business Mode
Not all email is neutral and businesslike, as sometimes you will get some unpleasant news or jarring criticism. If you encounter that negativity too early in the day that could serve to taint your entire perspective, and countless other activities could suffer. You’re far better off to confront these sorts of messages later in the day when you’re already in a business frame of mind and can more professionally play damage control.
There’s a long day ahead, so schedule in your email logically and you’ll benefit!
