We’ve all had those moments in our professional lives where a hasty email, sent in the heat of the moment or with a critical oversight, turns a bad day into a disastrous one. Fortunately, there’s a simple yet effective solution to prevent such mishaps – implementing a delay send feature. This article focuses on MS Outlook users, offering step-by-step guidance to ensure that emails are not prematurely dispatched.

11 Steps to Set Up Delayed Send in MS Outlook:

1. Open Outlook.
2. From the Home tab, navigate to the Rules drop-down menu.
3. At the bottom, select “Manage Rules and Alerts.”
4. Under the E-mail Rules tab, choose “New Rule.”
5. Opt for “Start from a blank rule” and select “Apply rule on messages I send.”
6. Click Next to skip the conditions, then select Yes, as we do want this to apply to all emails we send.
7. On the Actions page, choose to defer delivery by a specific number of seconds. Decide on the duration, such as 2 or 3 minutes then edit the rule description by clicking the underlined value. Select Next.
8. You’ll be returned to the Actions page, where you can review your selection in Step 2. Click Next and set any exceptions to your new rule.
9. Click Next again.
10. Complete the rule setup by naming your rule (e.g., “2 Minute Delay Send”). Be sure the Turn on this rule box is checked.
11. Don’t forget to select Finish, as missing this step will render your selections ineffective.

In Conclusion

Implementing a delay send feature is a proactive measure that can save professionals from the repercussions of inadvertent emails. While this guide is tailored to MS Outlook users, it’s essential to explore specific instructions for different email apps. Remember, this precautionary step can significantly contribute to maintaining a polished and professional communication record. Be mindful, though, that users report it may not work on Outlook for Macs. Stay ahead of potential email blunders by incorporating this simple and effective solution into your daily email routine.