How often do you email or ping your co-workers just to check in? And how many of those “just checking in” messages do you receive? These messages can interrupt your flow and make it hard to get back on track. While it’s not inherently bad to need a quick check-in every now and then, you ideally won’t send or receive too many of these messages.
Calendar’s Deanna Ritchie says every “just checking in” message is a sign that somebody doesn’t know where things stand. Most teams fire off ad-hoc replies rather than addressing the root problem: a broken system. Ritchie says the way to fix the issue is to replace check-in emails with a structured handoff routine. We explain her ideas in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
Define what ‘done’ looks like before handing anything off. Ambiguity is the most common reason for a “just checking in” message, according to Ritchie. Before handing a task off to someone else, she suggests writing a sentence that describes the completion state. It could be something like, “The draft is in Google Docs with all data tables populated and ready for your review.”
Schedule the handoff as a recurring 10-minute calendar event. Ritchie advises making it a non-negotiable 10-minute block — not a meeting request with an agenda and a Zoom link. This signals when handoffs happen, and 10 minutes is all you need. If you take longer, it drifts into a meeting.
Use a shared doc, not a message thread. A single running document is best, according to Ritchie. When you complete your portion, update the document. When the next person picks it up, they check the document and if it’s current, they won’t need to send a quick check-in email.
Say if you’re stuck during the handoff. Don’t save this for a DM or email later. Ritchie says the 10-minute window exists specifically so blockers surface early and get resolved with everyone present. You could even add a prompt in your handoff document: Is anything slowing you down right now?
End every handoff with a clear next owner. The last thing you say in the handoff should be a name. For example, “OK, this is with Sam until the next handoff.” If there is no clear next owner, Ritchie says the task drifts, and drifting tasks generate check-in emails like clockwork.
Review the handoff format monthly and cut what is not working. Everything needs periodic adjustment. Once a month, Ritchie advises asking the team if the handoff is still solving the problem. Consider if you’re receiving fewer check-in emails and DMs and if there are any new friction points.
Try a 10-minute handoff routine with your team. Keeping a shared doc ensures everyone knows who’s responsible for what. This helps you spot any roadblocks in real time and reduce unnecessary messages. This means fewer emails and DMs and more focused time to get real work done.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Deanna Ritchie is the editor-in-chief at Calendar.
