Batch-process emails and messages a few times per day

The same group of participants was studied over two weeks. During the week when they limited email checks to just three times per day, their daily stress levels dropped noticeably compared to the unrestricted week — while the total number of emails sent and received stayed the same. Without any limits, people checked their emails an average of 15.5 times per day.

Cost

No monetary cost. However, it takes some time to explain to colleagues how often you’ll be checking messages. It also requires a bit of willpower to resist the urge to check them constantly.

Benefit

In a two-week self-controlled trial involving 124 adults, those who limited email checks to three times daily experienced significantly lower daily stress than when they checked freely (effect size: Cohen’s d = 0.37). The overall volume of emails received and replied to did not differ between the two conditions. Without restrictions, participants checked emails 15.5 times per day on average.

Notes

Only one study has examined this approach, showing a modest effect size. It measured stress levels rather than actual work output. No direct research exists on limiting instant messaging checks; this recommendation is extrapolated from similar email studies.

Sources · 1

1. Kushlev & Dunn (2015). Checking email less frequently reduces stress. Computers in Human Behavior. doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.11.005