Tips for Addressing Email Overwhelm
Amanda Wright
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In a great New York Times Opinion piece, “Your Email Does Not Constitute My Emergency,” thought leader Adam Grant wisely addresses the email overwhelm echoed by many of my coaching clients. Here are some helpful tips from the piece:
Stop apologizing for “slow” replies to your inbox: This is a symptom of the unrealistic demands of an always-on culture where we believe we are at the mercy of other people’s calendars. It’s also a recipe for burnout! Remember, “we’re all drowning in messages. If you didn’t commit to a deadline, you can’t be late.”
Prioritize quality over speed: Although it can feel good to quickly fire off an email response before it has a chance to clutter our inbox, by prioritizing speed we often compromise the quality of the response we are offering. Not surprisingly, studies have shown that speed to reply to emails creates multiple disruptions in our concentration and destroys our ability to focus on the tasks at hand (including, the time it takes to thoughtfully respond to emails!).
Mitigate stress to respond with one simple step: COMMUNICATE EXPECTATIONS. Sometimes this is as simple as a quick reply letting the sender know when you’ll be able to give their email your full attention. However, many of my clients still struggle with what actually constitutes a reasonable response time. For those who can relate, follow Adam Grant’s advice (also my own!) by letting go of the guilt and applying some self-compassion. “Instead of apologizing for your delay, you can express gratitude to your correspondent for being a reasonable human: ‘thanks for your patience.’”