Do you check your email while on vacation?
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My wife and I have a deal made many years ago - while on vacation I can check my email twice daily - once before we leave the hotel room for the day, and again before dinner.
While it’s exceptionally rare for me to respond to anything (my absolute motto to my teams: keep it moving), I do this not for my team, or to be “accessible, always,” but solely to avoid the crush of 500 emails upon my return to work.
Pro
Here’s what works for me: I don’t bother reading them all when I come back. I mark them as “read” so I don’t have the anxiety of an overflowing inbox and I just schedule a quick regroup with my team upon return to get the scoop on what I missed and what needs to be prioritized. It’s really that simple. Absolutely no need to check email on vacation.
Here’s the deal. What you do on vacation gives people permission to your boundaries. It sends a message that either you don’t trust your backup or that you are operating out of insecurity or that you can be taken advantage of. Don’t check. Trust if they need you they will reach out.
I try to check it once or twice to clear out all the emails that I get that I don’t need to take any action on. Coming back to 20 to 30 emails that I need to read or look at is much less anxiety inducing than having an inbox of 200+ unread messages.
I’ve gotten good about actually disconnecting and not caring about email and slack than when I was younger.
Not anymore. I used to check but it really prevents true disconnection and there is nothing that serious in our line of work. Lol. My team and senior leadership have my cell number and can and will text me if there is something urgent. So I don't check and I don't worry about it!
Hell no. It can all burn down while I’m OOO for all I care.
Nope. It’s called paid time OFF for a reason. You’ve earned the break. Don’t let a sense of loyalty or obligation override your work/life balance. It will not be returned.
Chief
Personal? Yes.
Work? No.
Yes. I check twice a day so I can delete/mark read any emails I don’t need to deal with and keep the ones I’ll need to follow up on marked unread, just makes it easier to come back to work without 500 emails waiting.
Yes. And my texts. And my Slack. And my Teams. And my Airtable.
Nope. If it's urgent, they can make a phone call. Also I always tell them I'm headed deep in the woods with spotty network coverage.
If I don’t I get fired. That simple. We love “dedication theater” here.
No
Sometimes. I don’t respond unless it’s an actual emergency and not a fake one, which they mostly are.
Emphatically no
Yep, but it depends if I like the job or vacation more.
I love reading the first Teams message and then mute for the rest of the day.
Nope. I used to when I worked at a startup and it was an awful thankless experience. I do not do it anymore. I make sure my coverage plan is thorough and I check tf out.
Yes email only, so I’m not digging myself out of emails when I return, and to avoid having to ask a million questions to the team to catch up.
Yes. But when they are a day or two old. Just so I can see what I missed and delete delete delete. Easier to come back that way.
LOLz. Nope. 👎🏻