Should you check work emails outside normal work hours? Should we keep them here until Monday, or should we let them go?
If you do any remote or solitary job, you probably spend much time perusing your inbox. If you’re an employee with a day job, check your inbox before you turn in for the night.
To advance professionally, effective time management is essential. With that said, there are two ways to answer it. The first option is to stop checking your work email. Second, you have the option of engaging with them or ignoring them.
We’ll weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each solution here. In addition, we will provide some advice that will guide you toward the most suitable choice.
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Should you answer emails on the weekend?
The main benefit of answering emails during weekends is getting more done. It’s easier to focus when you don’t feel rushed by deadlines.
However, suppose you cannot reply to all messages within 24 hours. In that case, you may end up missing important information. This could be detrimental to your career.
You may also spend too much time replying to emails instead of doing other things.
In this case, consider setting aside some time every week to review your emails. This way, you will get everything important.
You can use the following tips to help you manage your time effectively:
- Set aside specific times to read your emails.
- Keep track of what you need to do.
- Use a calendar to schedule tasks.
- Review your goals regularly.
- Prioritize your tasks.
- Take breaks from work.
Why is checking your email important?
It may seem obvious, but it bears repeating: working from home means you don’t have to check your email every hour. As such, you can save time and energy by only checking your email when necessary.
However, there are times when you should check your work email. For example, if you’ve been assigned a task that requires immediate attention, you should respond as soon as possible.
Likewise, if you’re waiting for a response from someone else, you should wait 24 hours before contacting them again.
How to handle work emails on the weekend?
There are several different options available to you. First, you could leave your work email unread. After all, you won’t be able to reply to them anyway.
Alternatively, you could set up a filter so that you never see them unless you choose to. This way, you can avoid having to deal with them at all.
Finally, you can use a service like Gmail’s Priority Inbox. You can automatically move certain emails into a separate folder by setting up filters. These include emails from clients, emails from coworkers, and emails from friends.
While none of these solutions are perfect, they are better than leaving your work email open on your computer screen.
What do you do when your boss emails you on the weekend?
One option you have when your boss emails you on the weekend is to try to negotiate with them. This can be a tricky situation because you don’t want to seem like you’re not willing to do the work, but at the same time, you don’t want to be taken advantage of.
One approach you can take is to try to negotiate for more time. If your boss expects you to turn around a project in two days, see if you can arrange for an extra day or two. This will give you some breathing room and avoid having to work over the weekend.
Another approach is to try to negotiate for more resources. If your boss is expecting you to do a lot of work over the weekend, see if you can get help from other team members. This will lighten your load and make it more manageable.
Another option you have when your boss emails you on the weekend is to get ahead of the work so that you don’t have to work over the weekend. This can be a difficult balancing act because you want to maintain your personal life for your work life. Still, at the same time, you don’t want to get behind and end up working all weekend anyway.
One approach you can take is to get a head start on the work during the week. If you know that your boss will be emailing you over the weekend, try to get ahead during the week so that you’re not starting from scratch on the weekend.
Another approach is to try to batch your work. If you know you’ll have to do much work over the weekend, try to do it all at once instead of spreading it out. This will help you finish it more quickly and avoid having to work all weekend.
Do people check their emails on weekends?
It may surprise you that most people don’t check their emails on weekends. In fact, according to one study, only about 10% of employees check their emails on the weekend.
This is surprising because many companies expect their employees to respond to emails within 24 hours. If you fail to respond to an email by that deadline, your company may assume that you didn’t even receive it.
This means that most people working for large corporations should read their emails on the weekend since they’ll likely need to respond by Monday morning.
However, there are plenty of reasons why you might not be expected to respond to emails on the weekend. For example, suppose you’re an employee. In that case, you are only likely to respond to those emails that relate directly to your current job assignment.
If you’re self-employed, you might only be required to respond to emails related to your business.
In any case, it’s important to remember that no matter what type of employer you have, you should always follow your company’s policies regarding how long you’re expected to wait before responding to emails.
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Conclusion
If you follow the advice given above, you should be able to prevent burnout. Remember that you can be productive at some times. To the contrary, it’s recommended that you work at a rate of less than 80% of your capacity. Ample time will be freed up for enjoyment and rest as a result.
A person’s employment should not be their exclusive focus. Stress and burnout can be avoided if you take the time to read this article and implement its suggestions.
Whether or whether you choose to check business emails on the weekend is a matter of personal preference.
Some people find they are more productive on Mondays after plowing through their email inboxes and getting ready to face the week. Yet some report feeling revitalized and prepared to tackle the week ahead after a weekend free of work.
Get in touch with our professional resume writers if you need help figuring out how to balance your professional and personal commitments. Let us show you how to organize your time better to make the most of every weekday and weekend.