A Harvard Business Review article shares a statistic that professional adults  waste about 27 minutes a day checking  (not answering or composing messages - just checking) our inboxes.

27 minutes a day accumulates to over THREE HOURS a week. No one can afford that. 

The same email confirms that “email isn’t the best way to communicate about … well, most things.” In fairness, the author admits that email can be a great way to to share uncomplicated information (unlikely to require clarification or follow-up) that multiple people can/should receive at the same time. 

Science blames egocentric overconfidence, but we all know why email is tricky. While most of us think we are more effective electronic communicators than we actually are: tone, words, intentions are easily misinterpreted costing us even more time in clarifying breakdowns in communication.

Let’s work toward limiting email and improving our communication, our relationships, and enjoy an extra three hours a week. 

• Response Time: Do not expect responses immediately or outside of work hours. 

• Time-Sensitive Messages: Understand that teachers generally cannot check email while they are teaching and that time-sensitive information should be delivered by phone call to the front office

• Including (only) the Most Appropriate People: If you include several people, a response may be less likely (because people assume someone else might respond). 

• Using the Best Tool: Make sure you're using the best tool. In the case of a concern, make sure email is the best tool. If an email is necessary, it is generally best to address the concern as suggested below in the 'Who Should I Contact?' section.

• Address People Professionally. Do not assume that a parent, a teacher, or any employee is comfortable being addressed by their first name until they have indicated so.

• Confidentiality: Understand that confidentiality often limits information that can be shared, including most details about another student and/or any disciplinary responses for their behavior.

• Other Students: Use great caution in using the name of other children. Parents may need to share names from time to time, but school staff cannot talk about a child with another parent. 

• Stay Open: Before drawing conclusions, be open to learning more. 

• Engage Cooperatively: Even critical feedback should be delivered in a manner that supports improvement. 

• Be  Respectful: Positive, timely responses are generally more common when a concern is shared respectfully

• Most Importantly, Remember:  Parents & educators love children. Parenting and educating are both difficult and imperfect endeavors.