Should You Turn Off Email Notifications?

In construction, there are a lot of reasons why work/life balance is a struggle.

But, without fail, one of the top problems standing between construction professionals and balance is constantly worrying about email.

Whether it’s the first thing you check when you wake up or the last thing you check before falling asleep, it can control your life. And it’s not going to stop, so you better have a plan for managing your email stress. 

I really love my “4-move email management plan,” and think it will show you how you can be responsive, meet your responsibilities, and still remove a lot of the stress associated with constantly getting emails. 

It’s not easy, but dang, it is worth it. 

Here’s how it works: 

First Move: Achieve Inbox 0 

Strongly held belief: 

Constantly checking email is a huge waste of time. 

It wrecks productivity because you can never get into a deep flow state where you get important work done. 

Inbox 0 is the concept of getting your email down to 0 unread messages every single day without constantly checking it. It’s not easy, but with the right plan, it is 100% possible. And you will love the peace you feel from being caught up.

Here’s how you do it: 

1. Stop checking email all day long 

2. Start doing bulk email review 3x per day  

   1. Once in the morning 

   2. Once around lunch 

   3. Once at the end of the day 

3. Spend the last 15 minutes of your day planning your next day 

4. Leave at inbox 0 

You may get emails after you leave, but you’ll clear those in the morning. 

This plan puts you in control of your email instead of letting your email control you. 

Second Move: Set Expectations for Emergencies 

Email is not the right place to handle emergencies, yet way too many people try to do it. 

If something is truly an emergency, it should be a phone call or, at the very least, a text. 

To help stop being so reliant on constantly checking email, you must set expectations with colleagues and clients that email is not the right place to communicate emergencies. It may feel weird, but you are allowed to set this expectation. 

When you do, it removes the feeling that you need to check your email every 10 seconds because you know the most important issues will reach your phone no matter what. 

Third Move: Turn off Notifications on Your Phone 

Phone notifications are a distraction, and they are especially stressful after 5 pm or before 7 am. 

Those little red bubbles pop up, and we just have to check them, no matter what time of day. 

It’s bad for stress and makes it so hard to ever turn your working brain off. 

So, just turn the notifications off on your phone. 

There’s little use other than to constantly distract you from what you’re doing—whether that be at work or at home. 

I’ve been doing it for all of 2024 and have missed exactly 0 emergencies. 

Fourth Move: Set Email Rules For Non-Working Hours 

2 years ago, I made two life-changing email rules for myself: 

• No checking email within 60 minutes of waking up 

• No checking email after 5 pm 

Obviously, if I am expecting something at one of those times, I make exceptions. But they are rare. 

If you truly want to shut off your brain to emails and reduce your stress, create your own rules for email outside of working hours 

You need to retrain your brain to stop taking every email so seriously.

Spark Notes:

In 2020, I was 99% of the way to burnout. 

Once I started managing my relationship with email, I slowly climbed back to balance. 

My work life improved, my family life improved, and I just felt less stressed. If you want the same results, try my 4-move email management plan: 

1. Achieve Inbox 0 

2. Set Expectations for Emergencies 

3. Turn Off Notification on Your Phone 

4. Set Email Rules for Non-Working Hours 

I know it’s not easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. 

Give it a chance, because I know it can help. 

Reply to this email with your concerns, and I’m happy to talk. 

Good luck.