Oh, great—another email from your supervisor. You open it with a hint of reluctance, quickly skim through the content, and then snap at your child to find the remote. Next, you reach for that bottle of wine to fill your glass.
If receiving work emails after hours frustrates you, you’re not alone. Research from the College of Business at the University of Texas at Arlington reveals that employees often feel angered by after-hours emails, and this frustration can seep into their personal lives. “Participants in the study reported that receiving work-related emails or texts after hours, particularly when they were negative or time-consuming, led to feelings of anger,” stated study author Alex Rivers.
The study followed 314 working adults over a week. Rivers noted that the results highlighted two types of employees: segmentors, who prefer to keep their work and home lives separate, and integrators, who are always eager for work updates. Unsurprisingly, segmentors experienced more negative impacts from post-work emails. Integrators also felt anger, but it didn’t significantly disrupt their personal lives, Rivers explained.
What Can Be Done?
The researchers suggested that employers could benefit from training to understand the appropriate timing for sending emails and which subjects should be avoided. “With smartphones encouraging a culture of constant connectivity, after-hours communication has become the norm,” said Karen Lee, dean of the university’s College of Business. “However, just like any other aspect of business, it can be executed well or poorly, and proper implementation is key.”
Another simple solution? Consider stopping yourself from checking emails after work hours. For more insights on balancing work and home life, check out this post on home insemination kits, which offers helpful information on family planning. You can also visit Make a Mom for expert advice on self-insemination. Additionally, Women’s Health provides excellent resources for pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, after-hours emails can lead to unnecessary stress and disruptions in personal life. Understanding the impact of these communications and setting boundaries can help maintain a healthier work-life balance.