Why Its Not Always Smart to Avoid Checking Email in the Morning

Why Its Not Always Smart to Avoid Checking Email in the MorningWhy Its Not Always Smart to Avoid Checking Email in the MorningIt has become a business clich to recommend steering clear of your emaille inbox first thing when you roll out of bed. Yet whether youre conducting a job search, running your own business, or reporting to a boss, there are some compelling reasons to do just the opposite. Lets explore those reasons for job seekers, self-employed workers, and traditional employees, respectively.Heres why you shouldnt always avoid checking email in the morningFirst Alerts for Job SeekersSearching for work is a competitive business. Regardless of if youre targeting a full-time spot or pitching for a contract gig, once youve applied to a position, your next objective is timely responsiveness. If youve applied to jobs online and could be contacted by prospective employers about your applications status via email, then you might easily miss the moment by saving your initial email che ck for the afternoon.A recruiter or hiring manager may ping you to ask about your same-day availability for a phone screen or other communication- and if you snooze, you lose. This point can be particularly critical for freelancers and contractors who have applied for opportunities. With a world full of service-provider options for employers to choose from, another candidates choice to respond first thing to a potential new client may land them the business before youve even opened your email.Client Communications for EntrepreneursEven once youve won a clients business, you can never rest on your laurels as a freelancer or independent worker. Entrepreneurs must continue to hustle and stand out to create a competitive edge, or else risk being outperformed by a rival service provider. By checking email early on, youll be able to see and respond to client requests, answer questions, and accept assignment offers before someone else does it first.If your client is in a pinch and needs a project turned around quickly, you could miss out on the chance to snap up the job by delaying your email check too long. Your client (or potential client) may assume that your lack of responsiveness in the first hour or so after contacting you indicates your lack of availability or interest in the offering, and may move onto the next provider on his or her list.Boss Basics for EmployeesIf you report to a supervisor, the advice to hold off on incoming email until after lunch may seriously backfire on you. Avoiding morning email may cause your boss to view your performance negatively, particularly if he or she values responsiveness. While some bristle at the idea of letting other peoples agendas dictate the day, when you work under a boss, this is really part of the job description.Your bosss early email messages may be required reading to help your map out your days top priorities. Without seeing these emails at the start of your workday, you may find yourself missing the latest inf ormation that your boss has directed to you that morning, which you need to successfully complete your tasks.So before deciding whether it makes sense to save your email for later, think about your top constituents and how you can help them reach their goals (and thus your own by association). If your potential employers need a timely response from you to consider you for work, your clients need to see responsiveness to offer you a project, or your supervisor needs to know that youre up to speed with the days work priorities, then saving your email for later on could ultimately jeopardize your career.