"Hey, do you have 5 minutes?"
Slack this phrase to someone on your team at 4:15 PM on a Thursday with absolutely no context, and I guarantee their brain isn’t thinking, "Oh, joy, a casual chat!"
Nuh uh. Their stomach drops; heart rate spikes. They immediately begin cataloging every minor mistake they’ve made over the last six months, wondering if they need to update their resume before dinner.
You just needed to know where a file was stored...but because micro-text strips away 93% of your human communication signals (body language, tone, volume, etc.), a harmless question spirals within their imagination’s uh-oh playground.
This anxiety-inducing communication is something I like to call Slack Tax… or Teams Tax, Google Chat Tax, Discord Tax… whatever instant messaging service you use.
Slack Tax is real. Quick, careless micro-texts sap big-picture productivity and micro-morale.
In the absence of context, the human brain fills the void with an OH-CRAP scenario:
I’m getting fired. This economy isn’t great for finding a new job. I better start to cut back. I’ll start pinching pennies and eat spam and eggs tonight for dinner. But my sodium is already high, what if I have an early heart attack…have I updated my will recently?
The problem is: When a leader sends a vague, open-ended message, it forces the employee to pause their actual work and spend the next [however-long] spiraling, over-analyzing punctuation, and guessing the boss' mood.
This matters because you think you're being efficient by being quick and concise, but you're actually destroying your team's morale and focus (and therefore their efficiency).
So here’s the micro-lesson: Shift your mindset when instant messaging from short and fast to warm and clear.
Punctuation matters DEEPLY here. A hard period at the end of a short sentence ("Fine." or "We need to talk.") reads as aggressive in chat tools. Don’t do it. On the other hand, no punctuation at all can have the same effect (“where’s the slide deck” or “need to chat before you leave”). Rude, rude, rude.
Emojis can add tone and body language. If you hate using emojis or think they are unprofessional…you kinda need to get over it. (I say that with the utmost love in my heart! ❤️) Micro-text is stripped of tone of voice and body language that helps your reader’s brain decipher your intended meaning. I’m not saying you need to add them to long-form content, reports, memos, etc. But on slack, teams, SMS? It can make the difference between a panic attack (we need to talk about that slide deck) and a smile (we need to talk about that slide deck 😂). If you don’t wanna use them, be sure to soften your words as much as possible.)
Take 5 more seconds to add context. Extending your sentence by just a few words to add context is best. I personally love the context bracket technique: before you say whatever you’re gonna to say, put brief context into brackets before you begin.
Use your manners. This is SO simple, yet often skipped for the sake of time. Saying please, thank you, and complimenting the reader are truly magic words.
Put it into practice: The next quick Slack or Teams message you write, be sure to do a quick edit before you hit send. Are my sentences too abrupt? Is the punctuation making me sound rude? Do I have enough context?
Here are a few examples to improve short messages to get your creative juices flowin’:
Status Check
Panic inducing: "Where is the slide deck?"
Better (adds context): “[Status check, no fire] Where is the slide deck?”
Best (adds specific context): “[Status check, no fire] Hey, can you please help me find the slide deck file? Thank you! ☺️”
Quick Brainstorm
Heart attack waiting to happen: "Got your draft. We need to chat."
Better (adds context): “[Quick Collab] Got your draft. Can we chat?”
Best (adds specific context): “[Quick Collab] Got your draft. Nice work! Have 5 minutes to brainstorm a title?”
Info
Uh-oh: "Read this article by EOD."
Better (adds context): “[FYI] Read this article by EOD."
Best (adds specific context): “[FYI - No response needed] Hey team, sharing this article because it mentions our competitor. Enjoy your evening!"
How’d it go? How much extra time did it take you to adjust your micro-texts? Did your team notice? Did the responses you received differ from before? I’d love to hear how focusing on your micro-messages affects your work and team. Reply to this email and let me know — I read and reply to each and every response I receive.
P.S. I talk about the slack tax and more in this Rising Authors Podcast. Give it a listen!
P.S. Random Things I’m Loving This Week
(These are not sponsors or affiliate links… just things I genuinely enjoy and want to share with you!)
Replies to my inbox – I read and reply to every single reply I receive from this newsletter. So please send me your thoughts, questions, feedback, or friendly hello! I’d love to hear from you.
Creamy Mediterranean Chicken – I’m trying a new meal plan strategy: theme days. I’ve declared Mediterranean Mondays in the house and this recipe was SO delicious (and pretty easy)!
Brand Voice Guidelines – These are so critical to developing a strong, consistent messaging strategy for both businesses and professionals. If you don’t have ‘em, read this post for a road map to develop ‘em. You can always book a call with me for help, if you get stuck.
Sunflowers — I planted some seeds in my veggie garden back in May and the long wait for blooms has paid off!
