Email auto response changed my life
I was meeting with my leadership coach, lamenting over the distress that email was causing me.
“A full inbox is like having a messy desk. I can’t do anything productive when there’s stuff everywhere! Having a full inbox is the digital equivalent. I can’t do anything productive when I can see my inbox count going up.”
Email was taking over my life.
I dreaded cracking open my laptop every morning, fearing the number of “unread” emails in my inbox. I avoided glancing at my phone because of the “unread” notifications on my email app. That tiny little red circle with a growing number of emails that I needed to respond to.
And when I would finally answer my emails, it felt like a hopeless task. A never-ending stream of communications. Here are some of the other things I was feeling:
- Guilt — for not responding to emails promptly
- Overwhelmed — for every new email that made its way to my inbox
- Distracted — unable to focus on priority tasks
- Defeated — why bother doing any work when I can’t even get through this?
These were all negative emotions, and the question I had to ask myself was, “Is this the work life I want to have?” The answer was a definite NO. I want a career that I never want to retire from because I love it so much, and these feelings were a step in the wrong direction. I’d finally had enough and decided action needed to be taken.
MY SOLUTION: Put an auto-response on my email.
I had heard about this practice from some blog posts and podcasts (thanks Tim Ferris), but always thought it was for someone busier and much more important than me (like Tim Ferris).
But I was desperate, and I needed to try something different, so I drafted an auto-response.
Instead of a generic autoresponder, I made sure to tie it into the Chic Geek values. I kept it honest and authentic. Thanks to Aaron Kroontje, Director of Technology at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, for teaching me that every automated touchpoint should be personal. He writes a great vacation responder, if you’re curious.
I was nervous to put the autoresponder on. Here’s what was running through my mind:
- How will people respond to this? Will they think I’m some cocky big shot who’s too good for email?
- Will they be annoyed at getting my auto response?
- Will I be letting my team down if I’m not available?
Well, let me tell you…
- I hit inbox zero for the first time in 5 years
- I’m faster at responding to emails because I put 1 hour email time blocks in my calendar at 8AM and 4PM every day
- I get fewer emails in general
- I feel like I’m #WINNING
The email auto response has lifted a weight off my shoulders.
I’m in the best mental zone I’ve ever been in because my inbox is under control. If you’re thinking about it, I’d recommend this practice in a heartbeat. Here are some considerations:
1. It takes discipline
Set an email-checking schedule and stick to it. If you don’t, it’s easy for the emails to pile back up. I try to finish my day at inbox zero. I gave myself one month to test out the auto-response and if it wasn’t positive, I’d pull the plug.
2. Make it personal
Share why you’re doing this. Tie it into your personal or corporate values. Leverage your auto response as an opportunity to reinforce your brand and messaging. In a day when we do most of our communication via email and auto-responders can be generic and forced, it’s a memorable and refreshing change.
3. Assess the implications
I’m fortunate to have a lot of freedom in my role, but not everybody does. Carefully evaluate the repercussions and identify any possible adverse outcomes that could result from an auto-response. If you’re unsure about what those are, talk to your manager, leader, and peers to get their feedback.
What I’m most looking forward to are the ripple effects of this action.
We’re rolling out autoresponders across the entire Chic Geek team.
It’s not a mandatory policy, but instead, an optional practice that anyone at Chic Geek, no matter their position or seniority, can put into play. I sent an email to the team and received 5 auto-responses back. I’m proud of them for setting boundaries for themselves too.
We’re still working through some kinks — there can be a LOT of auto-response emails to sort through. But I’m optimistic that this practice will help team members set boundaries, tackle their work with a clearer head, and live with a little more guilt and stress-free.
I’m grateful for the positive feedback from my contacts about the email auto-response. Many have wanted to know how the experience has gone, so if you’re one of the supportive people who replied to the autoresponder or asked how it’s going, this post is for you. And if you’ve implemented your own, I’d love to hear your experience, so be sure to leave a comment!
UPDATE
One of the things we’ve learned about by implementing the auto-response practice at Chic Geek is the importance of expectations. The auto-response practice is a freedom and with that autonomy comes responsibility. We ask our team members to commit to two things if they choose to implement this practice.
1. Do what you say you’re going to do.
It takes discipline to stick to your email checking schedule. The risk of not following through is losing trust with the people who are emailing you. If you say you’re checking emails and will respond within 48-hours,
2. Acknowledge the email.
Even if you can’t complete the tasks an email is asking you to do, let the recipient know you’ve received it and are working on it. Provide an estimated timeline on when you’ll be able to get back to them and add it to your to-do list. We want to avoid radio silence.
