Another Reason to not Check Email on your Cell

We’ve all done it. We’re out and about on a Saturday night and for some unknown reason, we think it’s a good idea to check our work email. We see an important note from some important person requesting some important information. As we’re not by our computer, we don’t have access to said information so we remind ourselves to get to it first thing Monday morning.

What happens on Monday morning? We completely forget about that email. We spent Sunday relaxing and taking care of some chores. We gave a lot of resolve and an extremely long to do list for the week. We’re thinking about our major projects, deadlines and upcoming meetings. As you’re grabbing coffee in the office, you think “Wasn’t there something I was supposed to get to? No, I don’t think so. It was probably nothing.”

Well guess what. That email from the manager requesting information about the new hire was very important. And because you didn’t get back to them with said information, your new hire is unable start. Now the hiring manager is upset, the candidate is upset and in most situations, your manager is upset. All because you wanted to feel like a dedicated worker and check your email while waiting for a friend at the restaurant on Saturday.

What if we hit the rewind button and instead of checking your email, you took a deep breath and enjoyed your few minutes of solitude at the restaurant? You could have counted your blessings while taking a sip of wine or even better, thought about nothing at all. Just let your mind rest. It’s Saturday night. The last thing you should be thinking about is work. That email will be waiting for you on Monday morning and as you’ll be working, that is the time and the place to respond.

This sounds like something small but if you make this a habit, you’ll feel more rested and will experience less guilt because that important email slipped between the cracks. Check email when you’re working. When you’re not working, live life.

Conor Nicholson is the Founder and CEO of NSS RPO, a consulting firm that provides on-site and virtual recruiting professionals. Contact NSS RPO to learn about how we can help your organization meet and exceed it’s hiring goals.