A magical, free tool you might not be using

Image created by Alexis Haselberger using DALL-E

Let’s talk about one of my favorite tech innovations:

“Schedule-send”

And if you’re not using it already, I think it’ll become one of your favorite tools too.

What is “schedule-send”?

It’s that feature in your email, Slack, MS Teams, and even your text messages, that allows you to write a message NOW and for the recipient to receive LATER, at a time of your choosing.

Schedule-send is brilliant because it allows you to do work, or whatever you need to do, according to your own schedule, without impinging on another’s.

So, how can you use schedule-send to the benefit of everyone:

• If you’re a manager:

Use schedule-send to make sure your direct reports aren’t getting messages from you during their off-hours. 

Even if you’ve told them you don’t expect them to answer on the evening or weekend, if they see the message or the notification, it will cause them strife, because they’ll either feel obligated to reply in their off-time, or just feel bad and annoyed that you bothered on their personal time.

• If you work during non-standard business hours:

One of the benefits of remote and hybrid work is that you often have the freedom to work whatever hours you want. 

But just because you’re up at 2 am sending emails, doesn't mean your colleagues are. 

Schedule-send allows you both to work when you work best.

• If you work with colleagues across multiple time zones:

Increasingly, we’re working with folks across multiple time zones. 

It may feel reasonable to send a 9am Slack message to your colleague, but your 9 am might be their 6 am, or 9 pm. 

Use schedule-send to send your message for the start of THEIR workday. 

They’ll thank you for it.

• If you want to protect your own boundaries:

If you happen to be working late but don’t want to set that expectation with your boss or your colleagues that you’re available at all hours, use schedule-send so that those messages are received during standard work hours.

See, did you ever think that such a simple tech tool can actually help you to set, reinforce, and respect other people’s boundaries and personal lives? 

All at the same time?

How else can you use schedule-send?

• Schedule-send can also help you turn a multi-day process into a single day process.

Here’s an example from my real life:  

I have a task for my dad’s birthday in my task system (so that I don’t have to rely on memory!), set about 2 weeks before his actual birthday. 

Last year, I wanted to get him a monthly craft beer subscription. 

And for whatever reason, the place I used to use wanted to send me the code to send to my dad, instead of letting me schedule when I wanted him to receive it directly. 

But that’s annoying and inefficient!

Either I have to do this on his actual birthday, when maybe that doesn’t work for me, or I have to order it in advance when I have time in my schedule, and then I need to update the task to send it on the actual birthday.

But by using schedule-send, I can order the gift certificate, then write the email presenting it to him, and schedule-send it for the actual birthday. 

Done and done.

Now I don’t have to think about it again, and my dad receives the email on his actual birthday, just like magic.

• If you need to follow up on something while you’re on vacation:

I never check email on vacation (because to do so would greatly reduce the enjoyment of my vacation).

However, I often have coaching clients who need some external accountability from me. 

And I don’t want to leave them hanging just because I’m on vacation. 

So before I leave, I use schedule-send to send some check-in emails to my clients, while I’m gone.  

Once again, delivered like magic.

Do you use schedule send?  If so, how do you use it?

And if not, are you gonna start?

Let me know in the comments!