Work Emails
Do you check your work emails in non-working hours?
I realised almost a month ago that I am an actual slave to my email. I check my emails in bed when I wake up in the morning and last thing at night. I check them on weekends and on public holidays. I check them when I am away or on a night out. Sometimes I even check them when I'm on the loo.
Out of control much? The penny dropped when I recieved by far one of the nastiest emails i've ever received. It flat out ruined my evening. The anxiety it brought was paralyzing. I was filled with so much grief for this one person thinking I had let them down. The realistic side of me knew I had done everything I had promised on. But the emotional side of me grieved for this person being angry at me and not happy by my service.
I did reply quickly and patiently despite the time of night. I can't move on from anything until i've fixed the problem once i'm aware of it.
A few days later I was reflecting on the situation and considering how I could never feel that awful again in my evening. And then I had an epiphany. I need to stop checking my emails in my time. I work too much already being a small business, I need to stop letting work take over my afterhours time.
So after 4.3 years I have stopped checking my work emails. And it was hard. Like breaking an addiction. I'm horrified to say. But now i've removed that fear of opening my emails incase there is a bad one. To the point now that I wait until my VA has logged on and she's read them first.
It is hard to switch off from my work baby. I pride myself on 100% customer service. But I wouldn't expect someone to reply to me on the weekends or evenings.
So tell me. Do you check your work hours in non working times?
