From Panic to Peace: 6 Key Tips To Manage Email Anxiety for Your Stress-Free Inbox Experience
@jeshoots on Unsplash
Am I the only one? I get this feeling anytime I look into my inbox and get a glimpse of the number of emails I have to read. My heart starts to beat fast and my stomach feels tight.
Do you know that feeling you get at your first job interview or about to write a test? That is how I can describe it. Does anyone else feel this way?
Checking my emails makes me anxious. I worry about new requests, deadlines, or feedback, which feels overwhelming.
Each notification increases my stress, trapping me in a cycle of avoidance and dread.
Even when I try to put it off for another time, I often get the urge to go through my inbox and get it over with.
What you resist indeed persists.
I remember at my last job, emails filled my inbox nonstop. Every morning as soon as I sat at my desk, I was hounded with several emails.
It was like everyone was competing for who sent the most emails daily.
It was overwhelming, and I could not concentrate on my tasks. I was always checking my emails and at the same time trying to respond to them as soon as possible.
It was crazy and it stressed me out. Thinking back now, I ask myself if it was the job or the emails that burnt me out.
I had to do a Google search to find a name for how I felt and to see if I wasn’t the only one having this feeling.
So, it turns out that there is a name for this feeling — Email Anxiety or Email Phobia. It is one of the many types of mental health issues. Interesting!
Knowing that I may have been going through a mental health crisis freaked me out. It was a reality I was not prepared to accept.
Where I come from, Mental health is a big no-no. We rarely talk about it and it’s never an issue. Period!
It was also interesting to find out that many people suffer from email anxiety. I felt a huge relief knowing I was not alone.
You know the saying—once you are aware of a problem, then the problem is half solved.
Emily Douglas explained email anxiety as one of many mental health issues in the article Mental Health Month: How to manage email anxiety.
It’s described as a strong feeling of dreading checking your inbox as well as the need to check your inbox.
Email anxiety was common during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was because many people worked from home and they had to communicate for the most part via email.
A study by Dr. Prewitt explained some of the reasons for email anxiety. Email anxiety may arise from assumptions about how and when to respond to emails.
It may arise from the fear of making a mistake or sounding off in writing. It sometimes arises from delays in checking emails, leaving them to build up.
Email anxiety may come from expecting unfavorable emails and how to address them.
I am guilty of this, but I don’t get why I stress over it. I don’t owe the IRS, and I don’t want to receive an email from Uncle Sam.
Are you going through this anxiety phase like me?
You are not alone and there are ways to manage email stress in your workplace or personal life.
Let's dig in…
The first step is to identify what situations stir up this feeling. Is it from opening, reading, sending, replying to, or ignoring emails?
Once you can identify the trigger, then you have solved half the problem.
The next step is to set clear and workable intentions in your communication via email.
If you cannot respond to an email soon, let the sender know you will get to it as soon as you can. You may also ask the receiver for a reply when it’s urgent.
This will reduce your anxiety about replying to and expecting a response soon.
If you are anything like me, where your emotions sometimes run wild. You are better off taking a step back to control your emotions before typing and hitting the send button.
We sometimes bring all that emotion to work and in our communication through emails. Using all caps in an email is a no-no for me, I see it as shouting at the receiver.
Answering a question with another question may at times come off as sarcasm. You may ask for clarification if the question is not clear.
Staying calm, positive, and polite may reduce your stress when responding to emails.
Some of us find it difficult to write emails. It was hard for me to write down my thoughts, so my stress level would rise anytime I had to send or reply to an email.
It took constant practice and support to build my confidence in my writing skills. You will get better at writing with practice and support. This could boost your confidence and reduce your anxiety.
Another way to control your stress over emails is by creating email blocks to boost productivity.
I always check my emails twice a day — 11 am and 2 pm. If I need to respond to any email, I often do that within the first block. I check my emails again within the second block for any replies and new emails.
This practice has reduced my anxiety in a big way. I don’t get distracted anymore and I focus more on my tasks. You may also set limits by creating an out-of-office response.
This reduces the stress for both the sender and the receiver. You won’t have to hurry to reply to your emails. The sender won’t have to stress over expecting your emails ASAP because you are out of the office.
Nothing beats a quick phone call when it comes to clear communication. This has always been the best stress reducer for me.
I would rather make a quick call to ask questions, and for clarifications than send an email. Whatever works for you, please go for it.
Making a call also creates a connection. I don’t have to second-guess the person on the other side since they are speaking to me right away.
Communicating through emails is one of the ways we send and receive information. We cannot remove this from our day-to-day lives. So we must find ways to manage and deal with them.
Feeling anxious about sending emails is common. Take a moment to breathe and organize your thoughts.
Most recipients understand that everyone communicates differently.
You're doing well, and your message matters. Trust yourself and take your time.
Talking to someone and seeking help for my anxiety, made a huge difference in my workplace and personal life.
If your stress level continues to rise from checking, replying to, or ignoring emails, you may talk to someone and seek help.
It’s ok not to be ok!
Resources
Mental Health (2021, August 21) How to Deal with Email Anxiety. Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/email-anxiety/
Douglas, E. (2021, May 17) Mental Health Month: How to manage email anxiety. HRD. https://www.hcamag.com/us/news/general/mental-health-month-how-to-manage-email-anxiety/255258#