How often should I check email each day?

One of the hotly debated issues around email is how frequently someone should check it. Some advisors say once a day, others say twice, others say more (and one Stanford professor who wanted more time to think, decided not to check it at all).

In the past month I've had an insight about a better way to think about this. You should check email as often as you need to in order to get the work of your day done.

Hear me out. You are hopefully running your day off of a written plan or schedule. It's one of the first things I write each morning when I sit at my desk to start working. When you look at your plan, ask: is there anything that could come today by email that will divert me from my plan, that will help my plan, or that will make a difference to how I use today?

If the answer is "Yes", check email as often as you need to. For example, when I'm waiting on confirmation or feedback from someone else on a project or task I'm working on, I like to know as soon as the note is in. Or, in weeks like this where I and many are anxiously awaiting new information on Marc, my email is open so I can find out as soon as possible. Or when I'm waiting on feedback on a question from a customer, email is open so I can move on that as soon as possible. So ... If an email can change or re-channel your day, check it as often as you need to.

However, if the answer is "No", check it as infrequently as possible. In November when Eric and I were working hard and fast to get ready for the Manila conference, there was almost nothing that could come by email that would change my day. Regardless of how good the opportunity for business or briefings might have been, I had an over-pressured schedule that wasn't going to allow anything additional. Email was off. Or when I've set time aside for writing my book, given that one of the interim deadlines is fast approaching, there is little that could come by email that would re-configure my day. Email is off.

I'm sure your work and daily reality is different to mine, but I encourage you to try out my new rule for checking email (and collaborative spaces for that matter too): You should check email as often as you need to in order to get the work of your day done.

But check it at least once (it may change your tomorrow), and clean it out daily (don't use email as a task list).

Let me know how you go ...

Comments

[James Dellow]

Good, straight forward advice. I'd also add that similar rules apply to RSS feeds, except I prioritise feeds and the low priority channels are discarded if I don't get to them. I've found that a combination of RSS and email makes your approach very easy to follow because I have fewer broadcast messages in my inbox.

[Nick Fera]

Michael

I really believe there is no one answer to the question. The truth is I check email constantly...it's one of the primary forms of communication for a lot of what I do and have done. The problem is that it's compounded by the myriad of other forms of communication we subscribe to. We (at Parlano) used group chat and nearly eliminated internal email (you know the story), but the same question was true, "how often would I check chat?"

The answer is still as ambiguous in my mind as finding a universal ROI model for collaboration in the enterprise. It depends on the user and his/her skills in multi-tasking, and their ability to quickly get back on track. What's better, constant interruptions (when you are interrupt-able) or an inbox that looks like a war zone 2 days later?

I've seen people be successful in both models. I personally choose to be as attached and available as possible, but that's just my personality.

I'm still looking for that single model that fits all and reduces this information overload (if it is an overload). But I suspect for now we just all have to be better at communicating and responding in a timely fashion. The competitive advantages of businesses are driven not only by how we react, but how quickly we react to situations. That basic premise has dictated how I use these forms of electronic communication.