Response

Waiting for response has to be one of the turmoils that emerged from the modern world connected by emails and instant messages. We were not all without the patience to wait, but the Internet grants us instant satisfaction which in turn spoiled us.

Not only do we expect things to happen instantly, we came to expect people to act in the way machines do (or are supposed to do). We expect timely response and cannot stand someone delaying or postponing one. Having messages seen but not replied is like being slapped in the face. And it is sometimes hard to notice that the slap is totally self-induced.

This can be changed. Practically, when the exchange is work related (or anything else that should not be dropped), just leaving a note and tucking it away will release the focus needed to keep it in mind. If the message is not of that level of importance, than it is more absurd to have it affect the mood. It is best to keep a fire-and-forget attitude on those cat videos or big meals you send to friends. Those can wait.

I would not suggest fire-and-forgetting in business correspondence though. Set a deadline and check daily – and only daily – to see if there is something you should have received. Otherwise, just let your notebook remember the items and free up your mind for something better.