Does this sound familiar: you are just pondering over your half-finished e-mail which you may actually never want to send out and suddenly … OOPS! Wrong button! You have just sent it out. Accidentally sent. Oh no, what have I done!
Unintentionally sending e-mails — some of them half-baked or written in a moment of emotion — is an underestimated danger.
Depending on your e-mail client configuration, a message can be sent by accident with a single keyboard shortcut.
The Nightmare Scenario
And then — all of a sudden — the mail is gone!
It’s on its way to the recipient.
Possibly to your favorite enemy.
Or to your boss.
Or, even worse, to the worldwide “ALL” mailing list.
Isn’t that a nightmare come true? Such a mishap could cause serious trouble — from embarrassment to a severe career setback, or even termination.
Why “Recall” Doesn’t Help
While some mail servers offer an option to recall messages, this function is notoriously unreliable — especially once the e-mail has left your company’s server and reached external recipients.
The Simple Fix: Delay Sending in Outlook
If you use Microsoft Outlook, there’s a straightforward remedy: delay the automatic sending of all e-mails.
This can be done by setting up a simple Outlook rule.
Step-by-Step Setup
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In Outlook, go to Tools → Manage Rules and Alerts → New Rule.
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In the first page of the Rules Wizard, choose Apply rule on messages I send.
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On the conditions page, don’t select anything — just click Next and confirm the warning.
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In the next dialog, select defer delivery by a number of minutes.
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Choose 1 minute, then save the rule under a unique name.
From now on, every new e-mail will wait 60 seconds in your Outbox before Outlook sends it through the Exchange server.
This short delay gives you time to delete or correct a message before it leaves.
A Few Drawbacks
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You’ll have to wait one minute before urgent messages are sent.
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The rule works only when Outlook is running. If you close Outlook right after sending, your message won’t go out until you reopen it.
Still, these are minor inconveniences compared to the potential damage of an unintended e-mail.
Bottom Line
The one-minute delay rule is a small but powerful safety measure.
It’s easy to set up, reliable, and could save you from sending something you’d later regret — bitterly.
Let’s start a conversation on LinkedIn or X.com (formerly Twitter).
I am a project manager (Project Manager Professional, PMP), a Project Coach, a management consultant, and a book author. I have worked in the software industry since 1992 and as a manager consultant since 1998. Please visit my United Mentors home page for more details. Contact me on LinkedIn for direct feedback on my articles.
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