Does the phrase, “Bumping this up in your inbox,” make you furious? If it does, you’re not alone. In his New York Times article titled “Your Email Does Not Constitute My Emergency,” author Adam Grant wrote, “Thanks, but I manage my own priorities . . . and you just dropped further down the list.”[1]
The pressure we feel to answer emails quickly is real, but is it useful?
The fallacy of a quick response
When people respond quickly to our emails, it makes us feel important. However, a fast response may show the opposite of care or status. Frequent, speedy responses usually mean that little to no thought was put into the replies. Rethink the assumption that a quick response—by others or by you—signals importance.