Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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In theory, you should be able to catch up on work whenever you want. But as a manager, you have to be aware of the signals you’re sending when you email employees after hours or check in about projects on the weekend. Many people will see these things and think, “My boss is working, so I need to work, too.”

o So if you decide to check email on Sunday evenings, for example, don’t message your employees until Monday.

o Or, if you truly do need to send some emails, be very clear with your team that you don’t expect anyone to read them or respond during the weekend.

o You can also write the emails but leave them in your drafts folder until the next morning, or schedule them to be sent later (if your email program allows that). That way you can be productive without interfering with your team’s time to recharge.

Adapted from “If You Multitask During Meetings, Your Team Will, Too,” by Ryan Fuller, Nina Shikaloff, Renee Cullinan, and Shani Harmon

To check out that HBR article and join the discussion, please click here.

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