Why I Still Prefer Email Over Text

3. Emails foster more meaningful relationships

I particularly prefer email when it comes to expressing gratitude or appreciation towards others. Sending an email after meeting someone for the first time or thanking someone for their hard work is a great way to keep the lines of communication open and build a lasting bond. Plus, emails are a great way to maintain communication with people I may not have a phone number or close relationship with.

4. Emails offer a sense of security and professionalism

Anything that gets written down leaves a permanent record of the communication that took place, which makes it harder for people to renege on agreements or promises down the line—unlike social media, text messages, and especially things like Snapchat. And since emails have a more formal tone, they create an atmosphere of professionalism that isn’t always possible to achieve with other modes of communication. I find this to be helpful in living a life “above reproach” as a pastor and elder (1 Timothy 3:2; Hebrews 13:7; 1 Peter 5:3).

5. I have two wonderful assistants who help manage my inbox

By keeping things in my email, they can ensure people are getting timely responses. They also keep my communication accountable and above reproach. They are confidential and never speak of anything they see in my inbox to anyone but me or each other. At the same time, they allow me to ensure that my “yes is yes,” and my “no is no” when I make a commitment (Matthew 5:37). It can be easy for me to write in a text message that I will do something and then forget about it. But if it is in my inbox, I have two others helping me get my commitments across the finish line.

6. Emails are great for setting boundaries and achieving balance.

By choosing to communicate via email, I prefer email because I can dictate when and where to address the issue. This helps me prioritize and delegate my time effectively, ensuring I can better balance my personal and professional lives. It also eliminates the temptation to constantly check my phone or social media accounts for new messages. When I am at home with my family, I want to be all there! I can be more present as a father and husband by keeping my communication in my email inbox.

So there you have it—my attempt to explain why I prefer email over text messages, social media, phone calls, video chats, or other forms of communication. While everyone has their preferred method of conversing with others, reflecting on alternative means of communication can reveal hidden gems we have never considered before. Ultimately, I suggest giving email a chance because you might be surprised by how effectively it can help streamline, enrich, and simplify your life.

This article about why to prefer email over text originally appeared here, and is used by permission.