Last year, I did an experiment.
I was curious to find out: “What would happen if I check email once a day—in the afternoon—instead of checking numerous times a day?”
Would this be a good move? Would it create a happier workday? Would it cause any disruptions to my projects, team, or clients? Or maybe not?
I knew, “There’s only one way to find out. Let’s try this and see what happens.”
Here's what I did:
- I removed email from my phone and tablet.
- I kept email on my computer.
- I pledged to check my inbox once a day, around 2 pm. No checking before then.
- I also pledged to go into my inbox with a specific plan. “I will log in at 2 pm. I will spend 60 minutes replying to messages. First priority will be sending replies to current clients. And then, I’ll reply to everyone else.”
- I put a sticky note on my desk that said “please do not check email" as a gentle reminder.
- I notified my team and clients about this change. I told people, “Just a heads up—from now on, I’ll be checking email once a day around 2 pm. You can expect to hear from me then.”
- Everyone said, “Cool, thanks for the heads up.” No one complained. Several people actually said, “Oh, that sounds great. I want to do that, too!”
- I decided that I would do this email experiment for 2 weeks, and then I would evaluate and see how things felt.
What happened next:
- In the mornings, instead of checking email, I did other things. I did research. I wrote articles, essays, website content, and educational materials for my clients and students. I brainstormed marketing ideas. I recorded audiobooks. I got lots of things done.
What I noticed:
- My brain felt clear, sharp, and focused.
- It was easier to concentrate deeply and get important things done.
- I felt like I was doing more high-level work, my best work, and less busywork.
- My head felt “quieter” overall. Like a peaceful room instead of a noisy restaurant packed with hundreds of chattering people.
- Physically, my neck and shoulders felt better. I hadn’t realized how much tension I’d been carrying.
- I felt more intentional. Instead of haphazardly checking email all day long, it felt good to do it once a day—with purpose. Get in. Reply. Get out. The end.
This experiment changed my life.
I already had pretty good tech habits in place.
But this one shift—checking email way less often—made a significant difference for me.
It’s something I strongly encourage you to try.
Do your own personal experiment alone or with your colleagues.
Check email once a day, at an appointed time. I recommend afternoon, not morning. Keep your brain clear in the morning. Do your email experiment for one day, one week, two weeks, or more.
You might have a lot of resistance to doing this.
You might think, “I can’t,” “It won’t work,” “It’s just not possible for me.”
But how will you know for sure, until you actually try?
Try it and see. Come thank me later.
-Alex
PS. If you haven’t signed up for The Email Course, now is a great time. The very last day to enroll is Friday May 28. That's a couple days from now.
- Learn how to write emails that are clear, brief, kind, and persuasive—emails that motivate people to take action.
- Get more people replying—“Yes!” “Sure!” “I’m in!” “Done!” “Sold!” “Let’s do it!”—and fewer people ignoring the messages you send.
- Get feedback and tweaks on your emails from a team of professional writers.
- Best of all: change your email habits, stop constantly checking your inbox, set healthy boundaries, reduce stress, and feel so much better.