By Corina Leslie
A new study suggests fear, not urgency, is behind why many professionals check email outside work hours.
The study, based on a survey of 1,157 workers in the US and Europe, shows that the pressure to stay connected extends well beyond regular working hours. The primary reasons people can’t switch off revolve around fear and worry:
- 48% of respondents say they’re afraid of missing something important
- Another 33% worry they’ll fall behind on work
- 20% are concerned about appearing unreliable to colleagues and peers
An additional 31% admit checking work email has become a reflex, while 36% say they’re too curious about new emails to stay away from their inboxes, even on vacation.
In fact, the study, conducted by email deliverability company ZeroBounce, revealed that only 29% of professionals fully disconnect on vacation. But when asked about checking email during time off on a subsequent question, an even smaller percentage (19%) said they don’t check it. The difference shows a clear gap between what people say they do and their actual behavior.
Work email goes with us everywhere
Workers have a hard time disconnecting not just on vacation – email checking has become a constant habit. More than half of respondents refresh their work inboxes before and after work hours, and 37% peek at it on the weekends.
On top of that, a majority (74%) feel pressure to respond to every message quickly. However, that urge doesn’t seem to be rooted in expectations from managers and peers, but rather in people’s own perception of status.
We can’t ignore work emails – even at funerals
Email is omnipresent, even in our most personal moments. One of the most staggering findings in the study? Eighteen percent of professionals have checked email at a funeral. That’s not all, here’s where else people admit to looking at their inboxes:
- In bed, next to their partner (38%)
- In the car, while driving (30%)
- At a wedding (24%)
The data points to more than a desire to be responsive and productive: our inability to switch off, even in risky situations like being behind the wheel.
Making more than $200,000 a year? You’re less likely to unplug
Compulsive email checking is prevalent across all income levels, but work pressure tends to affect high earners more. Respondents making over $200,000 a year are more likely to check work email off the clock, with 50% saying they open their inboxes on the weekend.
Vacation doesn’t mean actual vacation, either: even if they don’t respond to every message, 39% of high earners monitor incoming emails. You may think this practice relieves them from the dread of a full inbox, but 70% feel overwhelmed when they return to work.
How to not let your work inbox take over your life
Despite the popularity of instant messaging apps, email is still the most commonly used channel for professional communication. There’s no shortage of new emails in our inboxes, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of constant connectivity. We’ve come to believe that every message needs our immediate attention, but is that really true?
If you find yourself checking work email during time off or personal moment, here are a few tips to disconnect and fully enjoy your time away from work.
- If you have notifications on your phone or desktop, turn them off.
- When you wake up, allow yourself 10 minutes without devices. If you can, go outside and enjoy the sun.
- Check email one last time before shutting down your computer. Once your work day ends, stop checking email in the evening and at night.
- Before going on vacation, set an auto-responder letting everyone know you won’t be checking your inbox.
- If you have a high-pressure job and must check email on vacation, set a rule for it. For instance, check it every three days and do not respond unless it’s absolutely critical.
Email is quick, easy, personal and, remember, asynchronous. It’s in your power to control how you use it.
Reviewed by Irfan Ahmad.
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by Guest Contributor via Digital Information World
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