There are some emails I don’t open right away, some voicemail messages I ignore for a few hours, and some texts I don’t rush to read. This doesn’t mean I don’t get back to people or that I ignore most communication, I promptly read and respond to the vast majority of emails and texts. But, there are some texts, etc., which I won’t look at until I’m ready because I’m afraid the contents will disrupt the rhythm of my day. I’m guessing I’m not alone in this. I’m also guessing I’m not alone in feeling a little pang of guilt when I do this.

We live in an age that’s increasingly instant – instant car quotes, streaming movies (we don’t have to wait for movies to download!), breaking news on Twitter that’s so instant it hasn’t yet been fact-checked. So when I postpone responding, I sometimes feel like I’m not holding up my end of the bargain, like I’m breaking a rule. And then I remember that the person contacting me does not own my time, and cannot dictate my pace. The pace of my life is mine alone, built up from my choices and priorities. The pace of your life is yours as well.