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Most people do expect timely replies to emails. If you act like taking days to respond to an email is normal, people will get very upset with you.

by ziml77 8mo ago

falcor84 8mo ago
I won't. Days is ok. For non-urgent emails, I would only be slightly annoyed if it's been more than a week, and I'll then send a reminder. It's ok. I know you're busy, take your time and respond at your convenience.
Sharlin 8mo ago
In most contexts days is perfectly normal, and expecting a faster reply, especially without explaining why it's urgent, is considered impolite. This includes all the cases where the job of the recipient is not literally "reply to e-mails ASAP".
nicbou 8mo ago
Then be upset. Nowhere did I agree to reply to emails quickly, if at all. Your expectations, your feelings, your problem.
- ziml77 8mo ago
  Maybe your context is different, but all I can say is that I used to consider email to be something that you respond to when you get to it. Yet after enough complaints were raised against me I had to change that behavior and reply immediately even if it was just to say "I will look into this". I am not personally upset if people don't get to my emails right away, because if I have anything actually urgent I'll get a Teams message out to the person who I know can handle it. (That does change a bit if the communication to to an external vendor in which case it's going to their support team who I do expect to respond promptly).
  - nicbou 8mo ago
    That was also me, but it became unsustainable. I got a lot of reader mail and had to update my contact page to redirect some of it to other experts. I stopped treating my inbox as an obligation and I reply at my own pace. I still give each email as much consideration as I can, but I no longer feel that it’s required. Some emails go unanswered. I am slowly working on setting boundaries, especially in response to expectations that I did not opt into. It’s indeed a very contextual reply.

Most people do expect timely replies to emails. If you act like taking days to respond to an email is normal, people will get very upset with you.

by ziml77 8mo ago

Most people do expect timely replies to emails. If you act like taking days to respond to an email is normal, people will get very upset with you.

falcor84 8mo ago

I won't. Days is ok. For non-urgent emails, I would only be slightly annoyed if it's been more than a week, and I'll then send a reminder. It's ok. I know you're busy, take your time and respond at your convenience.

Sharlin 8mo ago

In most contexts days is perfectly normal, and expecting a faster reply, especially without explaining why it's urgent, is considered impolite. This includes all the cases where the job of the recipient is not literally "reply to e-mails ASAP".

nicbou 8mo ago

Then be upset. Nowhere did I agree to reply to emails quickly, if at all. Your expectations, your feelings, your problem.

ziml77 8mo ago
Maybe your context is different, but all I can say is that I used to consider email to be something that you respond to when you get to it. Yet after enough complaints were raised against me I had to change that behavior and reply immediately even if it was just to say "I will look into this". I am not personally upset if people don't get to my emails right away, because if I have anything actually urgent I'll get a Teams message out to the person who I know can handle it. (That does change a bit if the communication to to an external vendor in which case it's going to their support team who I do expect to respond promptly).
- nicbou 8mo ago
  That was also me, but it became unsustainable. I got a lot of reader mail and had to update my contact page to redirect some of it to other experts. I stopped treating my inbox as an obligation and I reply at my own pace. I still give each email as much consideration as I can, but I no longer feel that it’s required. Some emails go unanswered. I am slowly working on setting boundaries, especially in response to expectations that I did not opt into. It’s indeed a very contextual reply.