You’ve likely been writing and sending emails most or all your professional life. Maybe you don’t even remember life without email. We write them, hit Send, and magically they arrive in the other person’s inbox. We’ve sent our message; our work is done. This magic is great, until it isn’t. We can make the magic even more magical with the Schedule Send function of our email tool.
A Rose by Any Other Name
Also called Schedule Send, Delay Delivery, or Send Later, it is a function available in all the major email utilities. It allows you to write the message now, but send it later. (If you don’t know how to do this in your system, this article will help.)
When email first became popular, it was an asynchronous communication tool. You wrote and sent the email when you wanted or could. When your intended recipient was next on their computer and opened email, they would see your message and respond. But with the advent of cell phones connected to the internet and email (and notifications!), email is rarely asynchronous anymore.
So now when we send a message, people get it right away. Which is generally still good if both are online and working at the time of the message. But what if you are 3 (or more) time zones ahead of those receiving the messages? Or you are up late working on a project and are sending emails? Or (like me) are an early bird?
What seems efficient to you may cause unintended consequences to your receiver.
Enter Schedule Send
Whatever your email client calls it, Schedule Send allows you to write emails when it is convenient for you but be received when it is convenient for the other person. It is a powerful tool to use - if we use it and use it well.
Let’s look at some pros and cons of this useful email capability.
Benefits of Schedule Send
I’ve already outlined the biggest one. We can write emails when it works for us, and not bother, concern, or wake up others with the familiar ding or buzz of an email on their mobile device.
Consider this situation.
When you get an email, you typically look at it right? If that email comes from a teammate or your boss, even if they say there is no need to respond until morning or Monday, you are now thinking about it right? And in a fast-paced world of work, where we want to “get stuff done” and look responsive and helpful, we often respond. Besides, we are already thinking about it…
Which may trigger exactly the same thoughts when you reply.
If you have ever been in a work email conversation late at night, Schedule Send would have delayed it until working hours.
As a leader or organization, you should value the mental health of your team and want them to have work/life balance. Sending emails during off hours is counterproductive – and it sends the wrong message. The late-night/weekend email shows that work goes on for the sender. And, as we have demonstrated above, likely impacts the receiver too.
You can avoid the negative implications and fallout from all of this (and be more considerate) by using Schedule Send.
Potential Problems with Schedule Send
It sounds pretty good, but what are the problems? The three most prevalent problems I see are:
- An excuse to keep working. If you can keep working on your inbox whenever you want, and not bother others, you will keep working. Schedule Send can seem like a Godsend if you are in meetings all day and are doing your email at night. Until…
- Sending too many. If you unload your email by responding all at once (with or without Schedule Send), you might still send the wrong message. If I get 4, 6, or 10 emails from you at 8 am, I know you wrote them after hours. One or two is fine – a bunch creates new overload for me and shows me when you were working. Like many things in life, moderation…
- “Just because I thought about it.” If you use a Schedule Send email rather than making yourself a note to talk to the person tomorrow, you are likely adding to the email overload of both of you. Because your quick email might lead to a full-on thread of emails tomorrow.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am a fan of and use Schedule Send. I have (I think) gotten good at remembering to use it when sending emails at odd hours. But we must be careful with it too. If we want our teams to create work/life balance, we must model and create it for ourselves. Schedule Send can be a barrier to that.
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