Really, is that too much to ask?
What if you didn’t get any new emails 30 minutes after the close of business hours and they didn’t start up again until 30 minutes before business hours began tomorrow morning? What if you actually had “business hours”-not 24/7/52?
Wow, would that be a relief! Volkswagen in Germany stops business email 30 minutes after business hours end, and yes they do have an official end to business hours. They still have cell phones if there is an emergency. They don’t start up until 30 minutes before the official work day starts.
Junior Blind of America in Los Angeles began the same practice last year and it has greatly reduced the stress for their team. In an emergency, they have used cell phones. Most of the time, everyone gets a little more personal time away from the office (during their personal time).
How could we do this when we have so many emails to respond to every day?
1. Have clear subject lines
2. Make emails 5 lines or less
3. Make persuasive arguments by phone or in person
4. Don’t “reply all” unless absolutely necessary
5. Don’t cc me
6. Use unroll.me or equivalent to cut down on random emails
I’m sure there are many other good ideas and if you send them to me I’ll follow up with another post. Let’s work together to take back our lives!