You are an employee at an e-commerce company. Your job is very demanding and you always feel some amount of stress about upcoming deadlines. In addition, recently you have had to address some unexpected issues in your personal life. You have gotten approval from your manager to take a few days off for your mental health so that you can recharge and come back better able to focus on your work.
Now you need to let your co-workers know that you will be out of the office. What should you do?
[[Plan my message]]
[[Write my message]]
[[Revise my message]]Great choice! Planning your message is a crucial first step to ensure your email is clear, concise, and professional. Here are the steps you should take to plan your message:
*''Audience analysis'': Consider who will be receiving your message.
*''Key points'': Make sure to include important information such as dates that you will be out of the office, a brief mention of the reason for your absence, who will cover your responsibilities, and contact information in case of emergencies.
You'll want to gather this information before moving on to the writing step. This preparation will make writing your message much easier.
Got it. [[Let's start writing.]]You have chosen to start writing your message. However, skipping the planning step might make your message less clear and effective. It's important to have a clear idea of what you want to say before you begin writing.
[[Let's start with planning.|Plan my message]]You have chosen to revise your message. Revising is an important step, but since you have skipped planning and writing your message, you don't have anything to revise yet. What would you like to do?
[[I want to plan my message.|Plan my message]]
[[I want to write my message.|Write my message]]<<type 30ms>>\
Hey,
Just a heads up that I'll be out for a few days. I've had to deal with some health issues involving an elderly family member, one of my kid's is having trouble in school, and my house got flooded during the storm last week. I just need a break, LOL. You can message Abril or Lamont instead of me.
\<</type>>
Now what do you want to do?
[[Send the message]]
[[Revise the message]]
You have chosen to send the message. While it is important to communicate promptly, remember that taking a moment to review and revise can significantly improve the clarity and professionalism of your message. Always consider revising your draft for a better impact.
[[Let's revise the message.|Revise the message]]It's always a good idea to review and revise to ensure that your message is clear, professional, and free of errors. Here are some tips to help you improve your draft:
*''Tone'': Make sure your tone is professional and courteous.
*''Clarity'': Ensure your message is clear and easy to understand.
*''Details'': Double-check that you have included all necessary details (dates, coverage plan, contact information).
*''Grammar and Spelling'': Look for any grammatical or spelling errors.
Got it. [[I'm ready to revise.]]Here's your first draft:
Hey,
Just a heads up that I'll be out for a few days. I've had to deal with some health issues involving an elderly family member, one of my kid's is having trouble in school, and my house got flooded during the storm last week. I just need a break, LOL. You can message Abril or Lamont instead of me.
Consider areas of improvement:
*''Tone'': Note that the tone is very casual. Make sure that your tone matches the level of formality that is normally expected in your specific workplace.
*''Clarity'': This message doesn't specify when you will return to the office.
*''Details'': This message contains quite a bit of personal information and may be oversharing.
*''Grammar and Spelling'': Since this is a work message, consider whether it is the norm in your office to use abbreviations and slang.
Let's make some changes:
Hi Team,
I'm taking today and tomorrow off to focus on my mental health. I will be back on Monday refreshed and recharged. During this time, Abril and Lamont will be covering for me. Please feel free to reach out to either of them if you need assistance with any urgent matters. Thank you for your understanding and support.
[[I'm ready to send the message.]]Now that you have revised and improved your message, all you need to do is add a closing like "Best regards," and sign your name.
Good work!