New email signature, who dis?
My last post for the night.
Bottom line up front: I've added the following to my email signatures:
Note: I'd like to be more intentional with technology in 2026. I check my emails twice on weekdays at [x] and [y] ([timezone]), and will reply (as needed) within 24 business hours. Thank you for understanding.
As someone in academia, I have a love-hate relationship with emails. One thing I realized over the holiday break is how often I checked my inboxes throughout the day. As I'm seeking to be more conscious of my connection to the Internet, it occurred to me that staying on top of my emails gives me a false sense of productivity. The truth is, I don't get bonus points for having a tidy inbox. I don't get bonus points for responding right away—indeed, this usually resulted in more emails and errors in the decision-making processes.
So, in alignment with my overall intentions of 2026, I created the signature above to manage expectations. It's concise, but it:
- explains my "why" up front (such that anyone who takes issue with my boundary-setting is probably someone I need to minimize communication with, anyways)
- specifies my parameters (which are reasonable, and indicates the timezone for extra show of consideration)
- implies through the parenthetical as needed that not every email needs a response—this is as much a reminder to others as it is to myself
- specifies what can be expected from me (also reasonable, and indicates the use of business hours to pre-emptively address emails received on Fridays)
- thanks the recipient for their understanding (for the sake of courtesy)
As routines and schedules pick up again on this side of the new year, I am hopeful that this small change will allow me to give more attention to other activities, without guilt or anxiety.