Sometimes NOT Engaging is the Right Move

Awhile back, I received an email from a co-worker. I was immediately triggered. I felt like the colleague was trying to control me, and I thought the email was out of line. I started to write an angry reply back, explaining my position and telling the person to back off.

Press the Pause Button

I stopped. Although it would have felt satisfying in the moment to fire back a snarky email to my co-worker, it would have accomplished nothing. It probably would have made the situation worse.

Ignore It

Here was another option: Delete the email and move on with my day, without responding.

You don’t have to respond to every email or phone call that is sent your way. You’re in charge of your email and phone.

I used to feel guilty when I didn’t respond to someone, no matter how inappropriate the request was. Not anymore. If someone sends me an inappropriate request, or engages negatively, I simply ignore them. My life has become a lot simpler and less stressful as a result.

Discussion

Do you feel like you need to respond to every email or phone request that is sent your way? If so, why? Experiment with ignoring inappropriate requests, and see what happens in your life.