Hey there,
Quick hitter today. I just got back from vacation, and this was top of mind.
Most people go on PTO and still check their email like a normal week. If you want to actually be present with the people who matter, read on.
I've used Boomerang for Gmail for over 10 years. Most people know it for "send later," but the feature that saves my vacations is Pause Inbox.
Here’s how to set it up:
Open the Boomerang mobile app
Hit the slide-out menu
Tap Pause Inbox.
Build a schedule instead of an all-or-nothing shutoff.
Set your hours
Boomerang batches everything into one delivery instead of a constant drip all day.
You still see what came in. You just see it once, on your terms, instead of every time your phone buzzes.
That's it.
No more sneaking a reply while your kid is mid-sentence at dinner.
No more checking your phone under the table at lunch.
No more "just one email" while you're supposed to be building a sandcastle.
No more half-listening to your spouse because you're thinking about that thread from work.
No more sprinting off the beach to reply to something that could've waited four hours.
Take it from someone who's worked through way too many vacations and missed moments he'll never get back. You won't miss anything important. You'll just see it on your own terms, when you're ready for it. Your future self, and your family, will thank you.
If you're curious to see my Boomerang schedule during a normal work week, here you go.
P.S. If you're worried about missing something important, Boomerang lets you set delivery exceptions so specific people still get through in real time while everything else waits.
