What Happened When I Stopped Checking Email

Could you go four days without sending or replying to a single email?

I did.

This weekend, we headed up north to my in-laws’ cabin in northern Michigan. Ah… home sweet home. There’s something about being back in my home state that instantly makes me a little happier. Better Made chips, coney dogs, trees… so many trees… and water everywhere you look. It just feels different in the best way.

I didn’t plan on taking an email break. That wasn’t the goal. But between the change of scenery, being with family, and stepping away from my usual routine, it just… happened.

No emails opened. No replies sent. For four full days.

And I have to tell you… it was interesting to watch my own response.

On Day 1, I definitely felt the pull. That little voice chirping in your ear saying, “Just check… what if something urgent came in?” My out-of-office was on, everything was covered, and still—there was that urge. What if someone really needed me on a Friday afternoon?

But then the weekend arrived, and I started to unwind. By Sunday, I wasn’t thinking about my inbox at all. And by Monday? I was actually… happy to stay away from that little envelope app.

Which got me thinking.

I refresh my inbox way too much.

And I don’t think I’m alone in that.

Just like I talked about in my last post… focusing on a few things and doing them well… instead of constantly checking and reacting, maybe there’s something to be said for putting intentional time blocks around our inbox.

Because let’s be honest…

What is a “timely response” anymore?

It feels like we’ve all been conditioned to believe that the second an email hits our inbox, we need to respond. Immediately. No delay. No pause.

But do we?

I recently completed a fitness certification (yes, my version of personal development tends to involve sweat), and the instructor mentioned something that stuck with me. She said, “They’re based in Germany, so don’t expect the kind of immediate response you’re used to.”

I thought, okay… maybe 48 hours.

Four days later, I got a thoughtful, perfectly lovely response.

And you know what?

Nothing bad happened.

I didn’t need the answer sooner.
My life didn’t change based on how quickly they replied.

It just made me realize something:

Maybe we’ve been trained to believe that everything is urgent.
Everything is breaking news.
Everything needs our attention right now.

But… does it?

So I’ll leave you with this question this week…

Can it wait?

Can the email wait until morning?
Can the message wait until after dinner?
Can you take a walk, notice the first signs of spring, and come back with a clearer mind?

Can you take a breath before jumping from one thing to the next?

Maybe.

Just maybe.

It can.

Happy reading,
Melissa
The Literary Assistant

On a cool walk around the still icy lake.

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