Set boundaries around you work email
Email is essential for remote working, but every email has a cost in time and attention. Here are some tips that may help:
- Use your out of office message to set response-time expectations.
- Update your email signature to include when and how you’ll answer emails.
- If you need to send emails out of normal working hours (e.g. for childcare) be clear about what you need the recipient to do and when.
- You can delay or schedule sending email messages
- Is an email necessary? Try a chat message or a call in Teams, Skype or Zoom
- Lead by example. If you send and respond to emails outside normal working hours, others will too. Discuss and set clear expectations.
Remember, you shouldn’t expect an instant response to email – particularly outside of normal office hours. See the useful email guides on the IT Service website.