Email checking conflict

What are the best practices for how often we should check email?

What do The Four Hour Work Week, The Hamster Revolution and Getting Things Done have in common? Sure, they're all best selling business books. They also present the case for checking email less frequently. In the world of business literature, spreading out the time we spend on email is now considered a best practice.

In my workshops, I recommend checking email at the widest interval that maintains effectiveness. Simply put, that's the least often you can check mail while remaining effective at your job. The interval will be different based on your profession. For example, accounting professionals may not need to check their email as often as someone in a direct, customer service professions like real estate. Unless checking email is your job, checking it more often will only decrease the amount of time during the day to actually accomplish work.


The generation expectation.
Anyone who sends an email expecting an immediate response could be in for confusion, since people in different professions maintain different beliefs over how often we should check and reply to email. But I've also observed a generation gap when it comes to checking email:

• Millennials are confused by any instant-reply expectation on email. For them, instant replies are the domain of text messaging. Millennials think email is for leaving a message. Anyone in their circle who needs an immediate response will send a text message. Don't be fooled by their lack of response to email — this generation is more connected, in more ways than ever before. They find messages like, "Thx." and "I'm all over it." via email particularly annoying, since their viewpoint emphasizes email as a transporter of complex messages (i.e. too long for text messaging) and attachments.
  
  
• GenX'ers fill the ranks of current business and seem to vary their day. Sometimes they check their mobile device by the minute, other times they're lobbying to check less frequently. The priority is usually place on whatever their boss prefers. Which brings us to Baby Boomers.
  
  
• Baby Boomers I've met are mobile device hounds who rarely use text messaging. They check email the moment it arrives, send immediate responses and wondering why no one can keep up. The priority is placed on responsiveness, since for many of them, email is a way to improve customer service. Boomers I've met prize prompt service, so many of them feel there's no need to explain their expectation of prompt email responses. This works great for them when they're communicating with other boomers, not so well with the other groups.
  

Sorting the whole thing out.
Ultimately, the generations are engaged in a battle of email expectations ... and no one's really talking about it. And therein lies the answer.

Consider your optimum email checking interval. How often do you file reports? How often do you write them? You'll need more uninterrupted time during the day to complete a task like report writing (as opposed to report filing). With that in mind, a receptionist could effectively check email more often than an office manager. Have a conversation based on this optimum interval so your organization can get on the same page.

Publicize your email intervals to clients and colleagues.
Here are a few ways to let people know you'll be checking their message in regular intervals:

1. Leverage your signature: Your email signature is a great way to communicate your response schedule. One of my colleagues includes, "I'm trying a new email method to increase efficiency" and goes on to link to a book for more information. Others list the times they've scheduled to check and respond to email .
   
   
2. Leverage your voicemail: Over 70% of phone calls go to voicemail. So anyone who calls you is expecting your prerecorded message. Let them know you return voicemail and email twice a day (or whatever interval you've chosen). Then give them alternate channels to contact you (e.g. for emergencies send a text message or call this number).
   
   
3. Tell them you text: If you're okay with text messaging (this will cost money), let callers and emailers know that. But before you open the flood gates to constant text messages, I'd recommend setting parameters. Ask them to text you at certain times or situations. For example, "If your message is urgent, send a text message to ..." This will help to filter out that mid-meeting ding from your officemate who just folded the perfect paper football and can't wait to text you about it.
   
   
4. Tell them you Twitter: Twitter has yet to filter into mainstream business, but spreading the word won't hurt. Let colleagues know they can check your availability and even contact you through Twitter (or some other web equivalent).
   
   
5. Prompt them to schedule a Chat: Let them know when you'll be available on chat tools like AIM, iChat or Gmail. When we know a 2-way conversation is available, we assess whether our message requires one. Then we'll either leave a message or wait to chat.
   

Implications of generational divide.
The more people I teach email efficiency to, the more I encounter a generational difference between email checking expectations.

For the Baby Boomers I've met, this generation/communication divide makes hiring college graduates extremely confusing. They appear unresponsive and lazy. "These kids have no concept of good service," they'll tell me, as they thumb another message on their BlackBerry.

For the Millennials I've met, they're confused by anyone who responds to email immediately. "He must not have any work to do because he's sitting at his laptop, clicking the send/receive button all day," they tell me as they thumb a text message to a friend.

How can I not smile at two ships passing in the night?