3 OOO REPLIES…
3 OUT OF OFFICE REPLIES TO SET BOUNDARIES
Seasonal days are upon us and many folks are planning to be out of the office (OOO). While it is tempting to still check email and do work while you are “off", it is important to maintain boundaries between your personal and professional life. According to this article, here are 3 ways you can use email to set boundaries:
Use an automatic reply saying you’re unavailable after certain hours
Let your colleagues know in advance when you’ll be out of the office
Clarify with your boss that you’re a caregiver and may need to respond to emergencies at home
To help with setting boundaries, here are three (3) OOO replies you can use before your next off day:
Example 1:
Taking personal, professional and caregiving breaks is necessary for my well-being. I will get back to you when I can, in the next 1-2 weeks. If we are already in contact about a project, you’ll hear from me sooner.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and take care.
Example 2:
Hi there! I'm currently traveling — and, thanks to [company name] commitment to promoting work-life balance, I am doing my best to unplug during this time! I’ll be back by [insert date], so feel free to get in touch then!
Example 3:
This might be embarrassing but this is a robot responding to you as [insert your name] is currently out of the office and trying really hard not to check their office email. They’ll be back by [insert date], so feel free to get in touch then!
Example 4 (my actual OOO reply):
Hi there,
Rest is important and I encourage you to take some and practice rest along with me. Therefore, I will be out of the office and will have limited access to email. I will do my best to respond promptly to your email when I return on [day of the week], [MM/DD].
Best regards,
Amber
Additional Resources for OOO Replies
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Until next time,
Your favorite Chief Diversity Officer,
Dr. B.
