Life at work | “Have you seen my email?” »»

This is not an emergency and yet your colleague sends you a message on Teams and a text to check if you have received his email. Moreover, The multiplication of communication platforms creates stress to which no one escapes. However, How to better manage your emails and all these channels?

Posted at 7:45 p.m.

On average. Nevertheless, a worker receives 117 emails per day, according to a study carried out in 130 countries and published in June by Microsoft^⁠1. Nevertheless, According to the 153 messages received on Teams. Consequently, unforeseen calls and notifications from other platforms, an employee is interrupted on average every two life work | “have you minutes – 275 times a day!

How to stay focused in such circumstances – and especially how not to become annoyed, frustrated, outdated?

“You should know that it takes between 12. Nevertheless, 23 minutes to return to his optimal level of concentration and resume his main task,” underlines François Courcy, psychologist and full professor in organizational psychology at the University of Sherbrooke. However, Interruptions are expensive. Consequently, »»

Disconnection. Meanwhile, rest – Life work | "have you

The management of the famous emails, made possible at any time thanks (or because) of hyperconnectivity, is the cornerstone of the working days of employees and managers. Similarly, Healthy management can avoid not only conflict, but mental health problems.

“If we cannot detach ourselves psychologically from the work. Similarly, you do not rest your brain, life work | “have you you are not likely to recover,” explains Julie Dextras-Gauthier, a titular professor at the Management Department of Laval University. Meanwhile, This leads to fatigue that can lead to mental health problems, or even a burnout. For example, »»

Respond at all times to his emails. Moreover, within acceptable deadlines, seems impossible for many workers: the quantity is astronomical and the time, limited.

“I consider that you have to answer a maximum of 24 hours,” says Maggie Lambert, web editor and virtual assistant. It is a question of respect and politeness. It puts me out of me, someone who does not answer! »»

Team charter – Life work | "have you

According to François Courcy. a little self -discipline is the basis of a better hygiene of life at work. He suggests bringing together the moments when we life work | “have you read his emails and responds.

“We can do it in the morning. then after the lunch break and before finishing working, say 30 minutes each time,” he said. It is much better than doing it as you go. »»

According to him, setting up a team charter is a good start. For example. an urgent element will require a phone call; But if it is not urgent, then we agree a period of 24 hours to respond to email by excluding evenings and weekends.

“Ideally, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., we do not answer and we do not expect an answer,” he specifies.

The pressure comes from expectations, recalls Julie Dextras-Gauthier, those to respond quickly, to be always ready, on the lookout. “We feel overwhelmed and we feel overloaded,” she slips. We like to say that we are entitled to disconnection, but life work | “have you there are great expectations of availability. »»

Tracks to better manage

Slowing up. reaching digital well-being is a shared responsibility between the employee and the manager, she said.

It offers four avenues for solution and reflection to better manage its email box – and its various communication channels. First. question yourself as to “the culture of the CC” is the fact of copying several people of the team to “circulate and give information”.

Then reflect on social standards: how do team members want to communicate with each other? “We can say to our colleagues. our boss:” I consider that I receive too many emails and it generates stress. ” It takes courage, but that is said! »»

Also. it is very important, believes M^me Dextras-Gauthier, to life work | “have you agree on what constitutes an emergency and on how to respond to them. “We can then agree on a response time. we can even add keywords, so that everyone can recognize the urgency. »»

Change your habits

Finally, the manager has a role to play. If he participated in the development of an disconnection policy, but he sends emails at 6 a.m., the inconsistency may create frustrations. There are exceptions, however, underlines Professor Julie Dextras-Gauthier.

“Perhaps in his way of managing your personal life. work balance, it makes sense to send emails at dawn, she illustrates, but then, he must say clearly:” I do not expect you to answer. ” It takes a frank conversation. »»

Good news? Organizations are talking more and more about disconnection and digital well-being. Solutions are life work | “have you quietly put in place, the expert advances.

“We must develop a consensus around social norms and question yourself as an individual to succeed in modifying our habits. It is not won, but I am optimistic. »»

1. Consult the Microsoft study (in English)