How To Avoid Taking Emails Too Seriously

Emails are an essential way of communicating, especially in the workplace. It is extremely quick, highly efficient and can maintain constant contact between colleagues despite having considerable distances between them. However, there are some who can take emails a little too seriously which can then lead to unnecessary stress, miscommunication and even has the potential for causing conflict. I am a fairly over sensitive character so I know first hand how it feels to read more into an email or message than what is actually there!

In the workplace, emails obviously can not contain any of the non verbal cues such as facial expression, body language or changes in tone of voice that often convey the true intent or feeling behind the spoken word. This can potentially cause misunderstandings and a good example is when a brief and straight to the point email may be perceived as bordering on rude when it was merely intended to be efficient. Similarly, punctuation such as exclamation marks can also be misinterpreted and even a brief ‘thanks’ may come across as sarcastic or even overly enthusiastic, depending on the recipient's mood, relationship with the sender or personal expectations.

It can be difficult to get it right. I tend to send brief emails that could be perceived as abrupt but of course, there’s no malice in this as it is simply how I operate but I do get offended if emails I receive are not 100% polite and professional! I also like to incorporate my unique humour at times but this again may not be received as intended!

A tendency to over analyse emails can make the issue worse especially if individuals spend excessive time interpreting an underlying meaning, if any, from a colleagues message when there in fact isn’t one. This can cause potential and anxiety. Furthermore, the pressure to respond immediately can contribute to a heightened sense of urgency  which makes every incoming email seem like a critical issue that demands immediate attention.

To deal with these issues, a balanced approach needs to be adopted regarding email communication.  Strive for clarity in your emails, using clear subject lines, straightforward language and bullet points to highlight key information. When reading emails, assume positive intent unless there is a clear reason to believe otherwise.

It is beneficial to establish clear guidelines within a team or organisation regarding email communication. Setting expectations around response times can reduce the perceived pressure to reply instantly. Encouraging the use of alternative communication channels such as phone or video calls for more complex or sensitive discussions can also help to prevent misinterpreting what has been sent.

By creating a culture of clear communication, assuming positive intent and using appropriate channels to feed different conversations, you can ensure that emails continue to be a necessary and helpful rather than harmful component of the working environment.