With workforces distributed across several time zones, there are two major types of “email dread” plaguing teams that span the continent. While their time zones are different, their dread stems from the same thing – overwhelming, cluttered, confusing email overload. Let’s go over the two main types.

AM email dread – This is often the bane of West Coast email existence. When a West Coaster starts his day, typically he is inundated with a barrage of emails, varying in urgency, from his East Coast counterparts. No matter how early he starts his day, he can’t get a leg up on the East Coast. (And yes, West Coasters do attempt to start their day at 4am just to be on the same speed as New York. Few succeed, most fail miserably.). The frustrated West Coaster already feels bogged down before the day’s even begun and spends a good chunk of his morning responding to – or simply reading — East Coast emails.

Endless email stream – This is the East Coaster’s email blight. An East Coaster starts her day at the regular time, and, often hopes to disconnect in the evening. But her counterparts on the West Coast send a continuous stream of email long after her workday is over. There are the urgent emails she’s happy to respond to. But the trivial ones, the ones that make her laptop beep while she’s trying to unwind, can wreck havoc on her planned quiet evening at home.

So what’s the cure? Can West Coasters and East Coasters find some solace in their time zone divide? It’s actually possible. The key is ensuring Outlook is synced properly, so that only the necessary parties are getting updates on new files, messages, contacts, and updates. There’s no need to bog down remote teams with non-essentials, especially the Friday afternoon fridge cleaning reminder.

What is your email dread? Do you have solutions for AM email dread or the endless email stream? Tell us!