Have you seen an email "out of office attendant" message that reads along these lines?
"Sorry I didn't get your message . . . on vacation until . . . I will have only limited access to email, etc," (italics mine).
First, why would someone be sorry for not seeing a message while on vacation?
Second, why do people feel guilty for having only limited access to email while on vacation? Doesn't this builds an expectation that they are actually going to respond to a message, only a little later than usual. Therefore, vacation simply means emails are answered but with a delay?
What would happen if you didn't answer a single message while on vacation? What if the people sending you email had to make a decision on their own?
Consider this out of office message: "On vacation. Make a decision. You will most likely make the right one. If you do screw up – great! We always learn best from our mistakes."
How about this one: "On vacation. When I get back I will be deleting every email in my inbox. If your message was really important please send to me again when I return."
What if you actually did this [deleted the messages]? Bet you would have a great first day back from vacation.
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I smile, Craig. I've felt the same way. We indulge in a politeness but we lose our boundaries to it, too. I like your second solution. If I saw that message, I'd make a note of it and send whatever I had to send later, mentally wishing the person a great time whatever they were doing and wherever they were.
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