Does E-Mail Delay Raise Your Status?

I was browsing through a PostSecret collection today when I read a postcard from someone who confessed waiting several days to respond to friends’ e-mails.  Just to seem busier. Most of us are probably guilty of postponing a response for similar reasons, but does e-mail delay actually make us look busier or more glamorous? 

I thought back to delayed e-mails I’d received — delayed e-mails from writers who certainly weren’t overwhelmingly busy. Had they just taken the time to compose a thoughtful reply? Were they apathetic? Bored? I compared their e-mails to prompt replies. The prompt replies usually came from professionals, and were followed by prompt action on my part. The delayed responses simply got buried in my inbox.

If you want to project a professional image, reply as soon as you are able. Certainly, reply thoughtfully and carefully. But I find that it’s much harder to respond if I’ve let an e-mail sit for a few days.

For more guidance on how to write effective e-mail, check out E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide.