New research carried out at the University of Kingston has identified seven sins of email communication.
Dr Emma Russell, a senior lecturer in occupational psychology has highlighted seven email habits that contribute to stress and a general inability to relax.

Demand for quick responses has never been at a higher premium. Increasingly people are relying on technology in ways that do not respect boundaries or the need for ‘down time’.
Employees want to be seen as performing well and perceived by others as ‘on top of their game’. Constant emails back and forth creating long chains and often out of hours seem to becoming the norm.

Dr Russell explained. “Some workers became so obsessed by email that they even reported experiencing so-called ‘phantom alerts’ where they think their phone has vibrated or bleeped with an incoming email when in fact it has not. Others said they felt they needed to physically hold their smartphone when they were not at their desk so that they were in constant email contact.”

So here they are: – How many are you guilty of?

1. Ping pong email – constant emails back and forth creating long chains
2. Emailing out of hours
3. Emailing while in company, aka, phubbing
4. Ignoring emails completely
5. Requesting read receipts
6. Responding immediately to an email alert
7. Automated replies

Written by Sheehan Brooke Psychology