Ever sent an email and regretted it? How to unsend an email.

2015-07-27T01:05:25-04:00

You're all fired up and ticked off and you know you're right.... so you send an email off to let your feelings be known. Right after you hit send you immediately regret it and wish you could undo it. Now there may be a way for you to undo it. Google has released an undo send choice to help you out.http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2015/07/25/how-to-unsend-email/

How to unsend an email

Have you ever clicked Send on an email and regretted it afraction of a second later?

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2015 1:43 AM

2015-07-27T01:43:38-04:00

I need this for everything! Texting, email, my mouth... :)

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Jul 27 at 2015 1:52 AM

2015-07-27T01:52:17-04:00

Oh yeah, quite a few times, and that recall function on Outlook? Yeah... It doesn't always work...

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2015 2:10 AM

2015-07-27T02:10:56-04:00

In the early years of AOL, you actually did have an option to unsend a sent e-mail. I used it on several occasions.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2015 2:16 AM

2015-07-27T02:16:54-04:00

i stick my foot in my mouth many more times than i should. :-0 Thank you for the post.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2015 7:36 AM

2015-07-27T07:36:44-04:00

Oh boy, have I? Yes I've have, but to my defense I was still very young and I didn't think things through before I reacted. I was a brand new WO1 and I got into back and forth email message with the Battalion S-3 Major about some training that needed to get done in the motor pool. Instead of going to see him and truly getting a honest feel for his position, I kind of step out of bounds with my email. I was borderline disrespectful although that wasn't my intent. My Battalion XO knew what I was trying to accomplish, but he let me learn my lesson and get hammered by the S-3 when I went to go see him. I've never blasted off another email while angry ever again and to this day, the now the LTC(P) S-3 and I remain friends. When sending an email, ensure that you read over it and that its short as possible and to the point. Never send an email when you are upset about the current situation or about the person you are sending it to. Make sure the right attendees are on the email. Overall in my opinion, if it's important, go see the person or at least call them.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jul 27 at 2015 7:55 AM

2015-07-27T07:55:48-04:00

I've written many of emails when on an emotional high of some sort. I even sent a few of them. The results varied from okay to really bad and adding more fuel to the fire. So know I've gotten into the practice of if I'm writing an email while on an emotional high, I will write, save it, let it sit for 24 hours then go back and re-read it. Nine times out of the ten, I make some edits to removed unnecessary things from the email and I end up still getting my thoughts across but in a more calm and collective email.

Just as a side note, Gmail and several other email services do allow you to undo sending an email. But these functions are time sensitive. And with the advent of smartphones, the Outlook Recall function which is based on if the other person has read the email yet, is becoming more and more useless.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2015 8:48 AM

2015-07-27T08:48:58-04:00

Emails and texts are very one dimensional and can convey meaning, intent or "tone" where none is intended. Where possible this can be prevented by picking up the phone or communicating in person.

This has been a topic within the unit for the last year as the use of technology based communication platforms has taken over. NCOs & officers are checking in on Soldiers via text, attempting to communicate complex thoughts via text, and posting things to social media without thought of the consequences.

Our rule of thumb is that if it can't be communicated in one email or two texts, pick up the phone and call. Also, texts are a hollow, inappropriate method of checking in with Soldiers. If there really is a problem, it's very easy for them to "check the box" with a reply text.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2015 9:16 AM

2015-07-27T09:16:33-04:00

Know when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jul 27 at 2015 9:37 AM

2015-07-27T09:37:20-04:00

Yes I have. When I first went to a staff job after being a PSG for 5 years, I sent a couple that were pretty rough. My boss, who sued to be my 1SG, sat me down and explained to me that I wasn't a PSG anymore and need to calm down a little before sending emails. Since then, I type what I really want and think and then delete it and start over and send one that is less knuckle dragger.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Jul 27 at 2015 9:39 AM

2015-07-27T09:39:45-04:00

I try VERY hard to not send while I am upset/ticked/torqued off/etc. I will often write the mail, then save as a draft. The other thing that I will sometimes do is have a co-worker read it to ensure I am not going to trash myself. The Outlook recall is a nice feature, BUT you MUST know the limitations....it only works if the receiver HAS NOT READ the mail. If they are sitting on their email and open it as soon as it hits their box, it does not matter how fast you try to recall it....they have it. Even tho I know that people do not always sit on their email, I always assume that they are..... Not sure if public email (Yahoo, G-mail, Hotmail, etc) have a recall feature or not...I have never found it if they do!

Response by SGT William Howell made Jul 27 at 2015 11:23 AM

2015-07-27T11:23:17-04:00

I sure have. I had a new OPs SGT that took over. He was just stating what needed to be done for reports. I was living with a mobile Sat for internet that worked only about half the time on the side of a mountain. I thought who was this guy to be telling me how I needed to do my job. I fired off a pretty crappy email. Two days later there was a helo to pick me up and take me to my ass chewing. Turns out the guy was top notch and I have regretted that email to this day. Luckily for me it went no further than a ass chewing. It could have been much worse.