Kern, M., Ohly, S., Ďuranová, L., & Friedrichs, J. (2024). Drowning in emails: investigating email classes and work stressors as antecedents of high email load and implications for well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1439070.

Our new study examines the causes and consequences of email overload, distinguishing between different types of emails. The first study, a longitudinal investigation, reveals a positive association between high email load and increased stress. The second study shows that only the number of communication-related emails—but not task-related emails—contributes to high email load. The results suggest that email overload can be understood as a stressor in its own right, and that it is important to distinguish between different types of emails in order to develop targeted solutions.