Over the weekend, I read an article by an office productivity expert. He wrote that most people expect instant replies to their office e-mails. He went on to explain that he does not find that practice to be efficient. This expert allows his e-mail to stack up in the inbox over the course of the day. He has designated times where he cleans it out. The article closes with him saying that you should not expect a reply before the end of the business day.
There is a school of thought that the rise of texting may have added to the sense of urgency that is sometimes felt when e-mail is sent. Texters often expect the recipients to respond in near real-time.
I personally try to answer e-mails when I can. There are some that will get more attention than others. What often helps is if the sender includes an informative subject line. Some senders will even let me know when an action is required of me. That helps me prioritize them.
I know that I prefer to get more immediate response. I haven't really used Instant Messaging (IM) much. Perhaps it is because I didn't use that functionality until fairly recently. I am only now starting to use Lync on a more regular basis.
What is your own theory on e-mail?
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