Summer is when calendars fill up with annual leave, out-of-office replies become the norm and, hopefully, more of us get the chance to properly switch off for a while. There’s one small Microsoft 365 feature, particularly in Outlook and Teams, that I find myself recommending every summer: Schedule Send. It lets you write a message now, then schedule it to land later, exactly when you want it to.
It might seem like a tiny thing, but I genuinely think it can make a big difference to how we support each other’s wellbeing.
The message can wait
We’ve all been there. You’re busy working away when a thought suddenly pops into your head. You remember something you need to tell a colleague, think of a question you don’t want to forget, or reach a point in a task where it’s ready for someone else to pick up.
The only problem? That colleague is lying on a beach in Spain, exploring somewhere new, or simply enjoying a well-earned staycation.
The easiest thing to do is send the email or Teams message there and then. It’s out of your head, your inbox is clear and you can move on. But if that colleague is on annual leave, your message is now sitting there waiting for them the next time they glance at their phone. Depending on how good they are at switching off, that one notification might be all it takes to pull them back into work mode.
That’s where Schedule Send comes in.
You can still write the email or Teams message while it’s fresh in your mind, but instead of sending it immediately, schedule it to arrive on the morning they’re back. Personally, I like to set it for a couple of hours after they return, giving them chance to work through the inevitable backlog before something new lands in their inbox.
Here’s how to actually do it:
In Outlook
- Write your email as normal.
- Select the small arrow next to Send and choose Send later (in classic Outlook, it’s under Options > Delay Delivery).
- Pick your date and time, then confirm. Outlook holds onto it and sends automatically.
In Teams
- Write your message in the chat as normal.
- Select the + button to the left of the send arrow, then choose Schedule message.
- Pick your date and time, then select the send arrow to confirm send. You’ll see it sitting in the timeline, ready to be delivered at the time you chose.
You don’t have to rely on your memory, and they get the uninterrupted break they’ve been looking forward to. It’s a simple habit that benefits everyone.
It’s about more than email
For me, this isn’t really about email etiquette. It’s about recognising how important it is to properly switch off. We talk a lot about wellbeing, resilience and avoiding burnout, but sometimes it’s the small, everyday behaviours that have the biggest impact. Giving someone the space to enjoy their holiday without another work notification arriving is one of those small things that can make a real difference.
I know what some people will be thinking: “Just don’t check your emails.” And, in an ideal world, maybe that’s true.
But switching off isn’t just about closing Outlook or muting Teams. It’s about giving your mind permission to step away from work completely. Sometimes all it takes is a single notification to interrupt that. You don’t even have to reply; suddenly you’re thinking about a project, a customer or a task waiting for you when you get back.
We can’t always control whether someone looks at their inbox. But we can control whether we’re the reason they do. For me, that’s what using Schedule Send is really about. It’s a small, thoughtful habit that helps protect the break someone’s been looking forward to.
Does it really need sending today?
If something genuinely can’t wait, of course send it.
But the reality is that most messages can. Especially those “just for your information” updates. While they might not need an immediate response, they still encourage someone to start thinking about work when they’re supposed to be recharging. The same goes for messages that begin with, “No need to look at this until you’re back, but…” or “I know you’re on leave, but…”
The intention is usually a good one, but if it can genuinely wait until they’re back, why not let it do exactly that? Schedule Send means you don’t have to remember to send it later, and your colleague gets the chance to enjoy their time off without another work message arriving.
The same principle applies outside of holidays too. If you’re working in the evening or over the weekend, Schedule Send can help keep work within working hours for everyone else. Just because you’re choosing to catch up doesn’t mean your colleagues need another notification outside their own working day.
A small habit that makes a big difference
By scheduling messages for someone’s return, you’re showing respect for their time away while making sure your email lands when it’s actually useful. It’s such a small feature, but one that can quietly make our working lives a little healthier.
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A few quick questions
In case you want the practical bits before you try it yourself.
It lets you write an email or Teams message now, then schedule it to arrive at a later date and time. You get the message off your mind straight away, without it landing in someone’s inbox before you want it to.
When you’re writing your email, look for the dropdown arrow next to the Send button (or Delay Delivery under Options in classic Outlook) and choose to send it later. Pick your date and time, and Outlook takes care of the rest.
Yes, as long as it hasn’t gone yet. Scheduled messages usually sit in your Outbox in Outlook, or a scheduled queue in Teams, so you can open them up and edit the time or delete them altogether.
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