Does your email inbox stress you out? Does “You’ve got mail” mean “You’ve got stress”? Or are you more laid back about email? Do you see it simply as a way to make your life easier?
Hair, Renaud and Ramsay (2007) investigated the different ways that people react to email. After administering some questionnaires, they came up with three types of emailers:
- The relaxed emailer. If you fall into this category then chances are you see email as something you will deal with as and when you have time. You don’t try to respond to emails almost instantaneously. You expect others to be relaxed about email as well.
- The driven emailer. For you email must be replied to immediately. You see it as more like an ongoing conversation. Responding quickly is important for you.
- The stressed emailer. For you email is just a source of stress and you don’t see it as that useful. You feel the pressure to respond.
Seems about right, although I’d be interested to know how many people fit into each of these categories. So, let’s do a straw poll, please vote below:
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