What is Email Fatigue?

Worldwide, roughly 306.4 billion emails are sent and received each day in 2020. Email traffic is projected to increase even more each year. Moreover, according to research by Edison Software, 74% of Americans feel overwhelmed by the emails they receive. In terms of email volume, 33% feel stressed when they receive too many emails.

Email Fatigue is a term in email marketing, and describes a state where we feel overwhelmed with handling emails. Most of us have likely tried to combat email fatigue and relieve stress in one way or another. For example, closely managing inboxes, or spending hours deleting unwanted messages.

The Effects of Email Engagement

The University of British Columbia published a 2014 study that tested the frequency of email-checking and its effects on wellbeing. For one week, 124 adult participants limited their email-checking to three times a day. Then, for the following week, they checked their emails for an unlimited number of times. When email usage was limited, participants felt less stress, tension, and were less distracted by incoming emails. With lower stress levels, their overall health and wellbeing also improved. Consequently, participants experienced positive outcomes such as higher mindfulness, increased self-perceived productivity, and better sleep quality.

According to a 2017 Jobvite survey, on average, 45% of Americans tend to check their email after work hours every day, many at the request of their employers. Many of us feel pressured to check our emails frequently for one reason or another. Another study found that monitoring work emails during non-work hours is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of not only employees, but their spouse and family members as well. Even when a person didn’t actually work, the expectation of availability over emails during non-work hours increased stress, which then leads to strain and conflict within family relationships.

University of California, Irvine found that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds for someone to regain focus after a distraction. In other words, constantly tending to emails throughout the day requires multi-tasking and scatters our focus. If we are always checking our emails, we’re not only decreasing focus time, we’re also spending additional time trying to regain that focus.

Ways to Relieve Stress from Email Fatigue

Allocate a Daily Email Allowance

Each person is different in the way they need to prioritize the amount spent on emails. Consequently, each person requires different ways to relieve stress from email fatigue for their wellness.

One way to limit email engagement is by setting the times we allow ourselves to check emails throughout the day. For example, set yourself to only check and respond to emails 3 times per day: morning, afternoon, and evening. Setting specific times like 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 5:00 pm, can also be helpful.

Another way to set boundaries is by assessing how much time we really need each day for email and communication. How much time do you spend checking notifications while you’re at work, on the bus, or waiting in line? A lot of these small moments of checking can be gathered into a few time frames. Consequently, we can stay more present in what we’re doing. Once you’re done with a self-assessment, set a few brief checks (5-10 minutes max) per day where you can reply to urgent emails, but also allocate a specific amount of time in your day where you can really concentrate and deal with emails.

Try to keep the email tab closed and notifications on phones turned off otherwise for optimum stress relief!

Better Email Management

Managing emails can feel mentally overwhelming if there’s a lot to go through. Sometimes, it’s not about the time spent on emails, but a matter of how we manage our workflow dealing with emails. Try to use email managing tools, or set up a filtering system for your inbox in a way where you won’t feel overwhelmed when you check-in.

An easy way to feel less clutter is by unsubscribing. For example, spend some time going through newsletters subscriptions and social media email notification settings. Our engagement and attention are exactly what many businesses want, and they’re becoming smarter in reaching us. Therefore, cutting some of the unwanted solicitations will bring more peace to our inbox. This activity alone can be a cathartic way to relieve stress.

Take an Email Sabbatical for Your Wellness

We all need time off to disconnect and reset once in a while. For example, if constant emails are clearly affecting your health and wellbeing, an email sabbatical can be a great solution to relieve stress. Some people do this when they go on vacation. Communicate with your boss, co-workers, and collaborators in advance and finish all necessary important email communications before a sabbatical. There are ways to set emails to filter and forward to certain addresses or give automated responses so that people know when they’ll get a response. This may require some planning and understanding, but an email sabbatical can be a great way to rejuvenate!

Healthy Relationships with the Internet

Electronic communication has become so integrated into our lives, but the constant reach can tire us out. If you felt like limiting emails could help your mental health and wellbeing, this article on social media detox may also be helpful!

If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!
→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELFMIND app FREE for a week!

Image: Unsplash
Reference:

Becker, W. J., Belkin, L., & Tuskey, S. (2018). Killing me softly: Electronic communications monitoring and employee and spouse well-being. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2018(1), 12574. https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2018.121
In-text citation


Business Wire. (2017, August 30). Edison Unveils 2017 State of Email Report on 35th Anniversary of Email. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170830005343/en/Edison-Unveils-2017-State-of-Email-Report-on-35th-Anniversary-of-Email


Jobvite. (2017). 2017 Job Seeker Nation Study. https://www.jobvite.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017_Job_Seeker_Nation_Survey.pdf


Kushlev, K., & Dunn, E. W. (2015). Checking email less frequently reduces stress. Computers in Human Behavior, 43, 220–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.11.005


Limit the Time You Spend on Email. (2014, November 2). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2014/02/limit-the-time-you-spend-on-email


Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work. Proceeding of the Twenty-Sixth Annual CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems – CHI ’08, 107–110. https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072


Statista. (2020, October 2). Number of e-mails per day worldwide 2017-2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/456500/daily-number-of-e-mails-worldwide/


Stop Email Overload. (2015, August 12). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2012/02/stop-email-overload-1

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The Health Benefits of Coffee

The health benefits of coffee have been known for ages. People were already fond of coffee as a “remedy for sickness and a drink that keeps sleepiness away” in the Arabian peninsula more than 500 years ago.

Nowadays, find that coffee polyphenols, such as chlorogenic acids, are great antioxidants that hold anti-inflammatory properties. The aroma of coffee is also known to have relaxing effects. According to studies, when we smell coffee, the alpha waves (the relaxed state brain wave) in our brains increase. Additionally, coffee helps stimulate our parasympathetic nerve system, which helps promote better metabolism.

As you can see, recent studies are now starting to find scientific proof of the long-known benefits of coffee.

The “3R’s” That Protects Our Mental State

Within the mental health field, it is said that the “3R’s” are important keys to follow in order to prevent mental illness and reduce stress.

The 3R’s:

• Rest
• Relaxation
• Recreation

Continually following these 3R’s will help ease our everyday stress. There are many ways to implement the 3R’s. Recreational sports, hobbies, and traveling are effective but require dedicated time and planning. A simple easy habit of taking coffee breaks is just enough to achieve the 3R’s.

Best Coffee Break Practices Using The 3R’s

To best practice the “3R’s,” we recommend that you get involved in the pouring process of the coffee instead of just drinking it.

1. The “Relaxation” benefits are as described earlier.

2. The process of boiling the water to pouring and brewing all contribute to the “Rest” factor experience, as the action distracts us from the focus on stress.

3. The origin of the beans, the kind of roast, water temperature, aroma, taste, and brewing process are all considered as a craft to be enjoyed. It is a “Recreational” experience when the enjoyment of these elements are combined to create the perfect cup!

There are plenty of coffee beans from around the world that are available at supermarkets, online, and at coffee shops. If you can, find beans that you like and mill it yourself. This will enhance more of the recreational aspect. Of course, if you are busy, just boiling water and pouring a simple cup that you enjoy is enough to experience the 3R’s.

By the way, the chlorogenic acid levels are higher when the coffee is properly poured over instead of using instant coffee. Although it is more time-consuming, we recommend going through the pour-over process if you want the full health benefits.

Increase Concentration and Productivity With Coffee

Coffee not only makes us feel relaxed, but it also increases our concentration and productivity.

A study showed that a brain wave called P300 increased when people smelled the aroma of coffee. This is the same brain wave that increases when we reach a concentrated state.

Scientists found that different coffee beans had different levels of relaxation and concentration effects. For example, Guatemalan and Jamaican Blue Mountain types showed stronger effects of relaxation, while Brazilian Santos and Sumatra Mandheling were more effective for concentration.

We can use this knowledge to our advantage and choose coffee beans based on whether we want to relax and reduce stress or concentrate and boost productivity.

Beware of Caffeine Overconsumption

We’ve talked about the multiple benefits of coffee, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we should consume it limitlessly.

The caffeine in coffee helps gastric secretion which supports the digestion of food. However, drinking too much coffee on an empty stomach will secrete too much gastric juice and cause stomach irritation. Additionally, caffeine excites the nerve, so drinking it before bed can cause light sleep or sleeplessness. When the nerve is overstimulated, it could also cause dizziness, increased heart rate, physical discomforts, anxiety, and nervousness.

If we apply it to power naps, there are ways to use this mechanism of caffeine to our advantage.

For daily consumption, 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per day appears to be safe for healthy adults. That’s roughly the amount of caffeine in 3 to 5 cups of coffee.

There are many health benefits to coffee, but keep in mind that moderation is always key.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Reference：

ISIC the institute for scientific information on coffee. (n.d.). Coffee and Health. Coffee and Health. Retrieved May 3, 2021, from https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/

Yamagata, K. (2018). Do Coffee Polyphenols Have a Preventive Action on Metabolic Syndrome Associated Endothelial Dysfunctions? An Assessment of the Current Evidence. Antioxidants, 7(2), 26. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox7020026

Yajima, J., Hase, M., Iwanaga, H., Kai, M., & Shiga, J. (2014). The Rise in Performance and the Buffer of a Stress Response by Coffee Intake. Bulletin of Beppu University Graduate School, 16, 81–88. http://repo.beppu-u.ac.jp/modules/xoonips/download.php/gk01608.pdf?file_id=7085

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The Desire for Perfectionism and The Fear of Failure

Hearing the term “perfectionist” may make you think of someone who wants to be perfect all the time, self-conscious, and strict towards others. In actuality, perfectionism can be defined by the following characteristics:

1. The desire to be perfect
2. The tendency to hold high standards
3. The tendency to be excessively critical about mistakes
4. The tendency to have a vague distrust of one’s own actions

For example, if a perfectionist were to study for a test, they would have the following thoughts:

1. I want to get a high score on every mock exam, every time.
2. I’m going to finish two workbooks this month.
3. If I had solved that problem correctly back then, this wouldn’t have happened.
4. Does this study method actually help me improve?

All 4 aspects listed above are potential stressors for a perfectionist. Generally, perfectionism can be divided into two groups:
Adaptive Perfectionism: shows stronger tendencies and characteristics of 1 and 2 from the above list.
Maladaptive Perfectionism: shows stronger tendencies and characteristics of 2 and 4 from the above list.

Adaptive and Maladaptive Perfectionism

Now, let’s look at the detailed differences between adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism. Academically, they are differentiated in the following manner:

Adaptive Perfectionism: Less stress because there is not much margin of error between what you do and the standard you seek.
Maladaptive Perfectionism: There is a large margin of error between your behavior and the standards you seek, resulting in stress and anxiety.

Both demonstrate a strong desire to be perfect and seek high standards. The difference lies in the level of stress they feel through trying to achieve these expectations. As with anything, goal setting is effective for productivity and growth. However, goals that are too high can cause physical and mental strain, leading to intense fatigue and overcapacity. This can be one of the reasons some people delay work through procrastination or go through academic failure. When we push ourselves to the point of exhaustion to pursue ideals, it can lead to an internal conflict that ends with a form of procrastination.

Put Rules in Place to Avoid Procrastination

To get rid of the habit of procrastination, it’s important to recognize the strong feelings of fear and anxiety we carry within. These emotions can limit our perspective and lead to delaying our responsibilities. Understanding ourselves and shifting our conscious intentions will help with this. Below are two ways to get started.

1. Give It a Try for 10 Minutes

Deciding on a set amount of time to work on something is an effective method. For example, set yourself a 10-minute timeframe, and try working for just 10 minutes first. If you feel good about it, you can continue working, and if you don’t feel good about it, you can stop after the first 10 minutes. Even if we quit, our brain will remember the fact that we did the work and offer a sense of accomplishment. Starting an action and accumulating these little moments of accomplishments will help shift our mindset towards wanting to finish our duties.

2. Create a To-Do List

A to-do list is always effective. Make a list that allows you to visualize your efforts as you go. A visual marker in all what needs to be done, and all that’s checked off, will lead to a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment in progress.

Change Our Thoughts to Reduce Stress

The thoughts, ideas, and influence a perfectionist creates can have tremendous impact on the people around them. In many cases, they make positive contributions to groups and communities. It’s a shame when they lose confidence or turn negative upon facing their own mental blocks. Especially when there is big potential to shine.

We can change any situation by shifting perspectives and changing our mindset. If you read this and recognize that you might be a perfectionist or procrastinator, challenge yourself to shift perspectives. A change in your mindset could brighten your life in new ways.

→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELFMIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image：Unsplash
References：

Ishida, H. (2005). College Students’ Perfectionism and Task-Strategy Inefficience : Why Their Efforts Go Unrewarded? Japanese Journal of Social Psychology 20(3), 208-215. doi: 10.14966/jssp.KJ00003725003

Masui, A., & Iwanaga, M. (2009). The Effect of Self-Oriented Perfectionism and Responsibility on Information Gathering Behavior. Hiroshima University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences: Studies in Human Sciences, 4, 1-9. doi: 10.15027/29014

Miyahara, C. (2010). Adaptive and Maladaptive Aspects of Perfectionism in College Students: Relationships with Depression, Anxiety, and Coping Behaviors. HEART Hyokyo Institutional Repository. Retrieved from: http://hdl.handle.net/10132/6361

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‘Sleep Inertia’ May Be Blocking Your Sleep

Have you ever felt muddleheaded or sluggish after a nap? “Sleep inertia” is a phenomenon that causes drowsiness and fatigue immediately after waking up. It reduces work efficiency and adversely affects our lives. We can avoid this by changing how we take our naps. An effective power nap is determined by how smoothly we wake up without having sleep inertia.

3 Keys to the Most Effective Power Nap

1. Keep Naps Within 20 Minutes or Less

We generally reach non-REM sleep (deep sleep) in about 30 minutes after falling asleep. The potential of sleep inertia increases when we reach non-REM states in our naps. This is because we experience less non-REM sleep at night when we achieve non-REM states through daytime naps. Long naps during the day may induce sleep inertia, as well as affect the quality of sleep we get at night, leaving us feeling more sluggish and tired the next day. Keep your nap within 20 minutes for the most effective power nap, and avoid falling trap to sleep inertia.

2. Have Caffeine Before Naps

Coffee before a power nap reduces sleep inertia and improves work efficiency. The secret lies in the time it takes for the caffeine to kick in. It takes about 15 to 30 minutes after consumption for it to work. A cup of coffee, tea, or energy drink right before a 20-minute power nap helps us feel more awake when we come out of it, thus aiding in suppressing sleep inertia.

3. Wake up Naturally Without an Alarm

Waking up naturally without an alarm may sound difficult to some. Research reveals that naturally waking up from our naps at a predetermined time suppresses sleep inertia. Further research also indicates that people who are determined to naturally wake up at a certain time, are more likely to wake up earlier than expected. This is why waking up without an alarm allows for the most effective power nap within a shorter time frame.

A Power Nap is Only a Temporary Measure

A power nap, no matter how effective, is only a temporary coping solution to the drowsiness we feel. It’s not a suitable substitute for proper sleep because it’s too short. If we want to eliminate the fundamental cause of drowsiness and avoid regular sleep inertia, good quality sleep at night is essential. Once an effective power nap helps you get through the day, don’t forget to return home early to catch up on sleep.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References:
Kaida, K., Nittono, H., Hayashi, M., Hori, T. (2001)Preventive effects of self-awakening on sleep inertia a short nap. Japanese Journal of Physiological Psychology and Psychophysiology. 19(1), 7-14, https://doi.org/10.5674/jjppp1983.19.7

Hayashi, M., Hori, T. (2007)A short nap as a countermeasure against afternoon sleepiness. Japanese Journal of Physiological Psychology and Psychophysiology. 25(1), 45-59, https://doi.org/10.5674/jjppp1983.25.45

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