86. Email Workshop: Priority - Reduce Stress

Episode summary

The first priority of our email workshop is simple: reduce your email stress.

It might sound surprising, but I see lowering email stress as a vital -- and often overlooked -- security improvement. When we’re stressed, we think less clearly and are more likely to click on something we shouldn’t.

Some people are so overwhelmed by email that they check it as little as possible. That’s also a security risk -- most security alerts arrive by email, and if you aren't checking your email, you may not see them until it's too late.

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to Super Simple Security Principles, where you learn how to think, not just what to do.
I'm Nick Jackson, here to learn along with you from my good buddy and master guardian, Makani Mason.
Woo! Yeah!
This is episode 86, Email Workshop, Priority and Reduce Stress.

(00:28):
Look, that sounds good to me. Let's prioritize so I can reduce stress. Game on.
Dude, you already know how I feel about this workshop.
Yeah.
So, tell me, where are we starting?
Well, so, the way I formatted the title apparently wasn't very clear.

(00:49):
So, the next six episodes we're going to be doing are talking about the priorities that were, like, basically the objectives, and another word to say it, for the workshop.
Okay?
So, today's priority is reducing stress.
Like, obviously, in the context of using email, right?

(01:11):
We want it to, and now, with these, all these priorities, each one may not apply to everyone.
Right.
So, again, you know, you just have to decide which ones you care about, and if it sounds like it has enough value.
Because, like I said, this is an experiment for me.
We want to track, crack the code of what is stressing people out with email.

(01:35):
And, like, I have a lot of ideas.
I have a lot of experience.
But, you know, we need to do some more figuring out of, you know, what's important enough to people that they'll invest time in.
Right?
Yeah.
And what will they recognize?
So, anyway, the priority for today, though, is reducing stress.

(01:57):
I love it.
Yeah.
I know.
I'll say, I know for you, this is one, this is kind of your go-to with email, right?
Yep.
Oh, yeah.
With my anxiety, oh, yeah.
Email just triggers it.
Yeah.
Well, it seems like you mentioned your mom feels the same way.

(02:18):
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
Yep.
And, you know, I mentioned my sister.
She's, like, she's like, yeah, she always wants me to communicate with her in some other medium because she hates check your email so much.
So, she's always, like, she loves getting our emails from, you know, from what I do, you know, with security, right?

(02:39):
Like, my work emails.
Right.
But she's often behind on them because she just is avoiding your email.
So, that's right.
So, anyway.
And, again, it goes back to kind of all the reasons why we talked about in the last episode that we're doing the workshop anyway, right?
Yeah.

(03:00):
Fear, overwhelm.
And I'd also add confusion when we look because sometimes it's hard to tell who's this email actually from.
Is it from the person who it's pretending to be or is it – are they faking it?
Right.
Right.
Absolutely.
So, now, I will say, you know, if you use email from communications and you get emails from your family or your coworkers that drive you crazy, yeah, I can't really help with that part.

(03:33):
Right?
But most of it we can.
And, again, even the – another common one, and I know my sister and I and brother, like, we kind of use it as a to-do list in some ways.
Yeah.
And that's even an aspect that I want to help people with.

(03:57):
So, and, again, you know, there's probably a minority of people, but if you're perfectly zen with email, then – first, I'd love to meet you because –
Right.
I've never really known anyone like that.
But, you know, let's see what – you know, I'm pretty happy with that.
Like, I don't know.
I'd say zen, but pretty close to it.

(04:19):
But it's taken a lot of work, and still I build up emails sometimes that I have to work back through because of to-dos and stuff, especially since I've started this business.
I had to bring in a lot more emails to learn new things and stuff.
But, anyway, yeah.
So, why, though?

(04:39):
That's the next question I want to talk about.
Like, why is reducing stress – that doesn't sound like – how is that related to security?
Right, right.
Any thoughts – I mean, does any connection jump out for you?
Because I have my thoughts, but first I'd check in with you.
So, when I start to get stressed, I get overwhelmed.
Like, and I get to that point of where do I even start?

(05:01):
And that's where, for me, that's why this is so important, right?
Like, I don't even have a start of where to reduce that stress for my email.
So, for me, yeah, this is priority number one so that I don't get overwhelmed so I can make it through.
Yeah.
Well, and kind of the way I think about it is when we're stressed, we don't think clearly.

(05:24):
Right.
Right, and, you know, one of the most common things we talk about is, you know, don't click on the wrong thing, check who it's from.
Like, a lot of things where, you know, a lot of people I talk to are like, oh, that's only for the old grannies who are stupid.
Of course, that's all obvious stuff.
It's like, well –
Right.

(05:45):
No, not so much.
But not only that, but the thing is, if we're in a perfectly clear mind, then all those things are a lot easier.
Right.
Right?
Like, yes, a lot of those are common sense.
We will remember to check those things.
We will do those things if we've learned them.
Yeah.
Right?

(06:05):
But the thing is, we know, I mean, experts fall for this sometimes.
And it's just, when we're stressed, it increases our risk dramatically.
So, that's – and, you know, and I can't help with all the stress in your life.
So, if you're just stressed no matter what, then, you know, that's – you're going to be more at risk using your email, honestly.

(06:29):
Right.
But I can at least help with email so you're not guaranteed to be stressed every time you're checking email.
Although, that is one of my general recommendations, like, if you're super tired, you're super stressed, if you can avoid checking email, I recommend it, yeah.
Like, go do something else.
Email – I don't know anybody who checking email is – it's really a relaxing, calming, de-stressing activity, even me.

(06:55):
Right.
So, but the other reason – so, that's one big reason why reducing stress is important.
The other is, though, because we need people to see the email.
You don't like to check your email.
My sister doesn't like to check the email.

(07:17):
And why do we need to see the email?
Because that's where, as we've talked about many times, it's a universal communication mechanism.
So, if you have suspicious logins –
Yeah.
You know, to your social media accounts, to your bank accounts, to whatever, guess where they're going to notify you?
Your email.

(07:37):
Now, with a bank or stuff, sometimes you'll get phone alerts.
It depends.
It's not the only source.
But there are a lot of ones where they're going to come through emails.
If you update your profile, if somebody else updates their profile, there's just so many things to warn you about.
That come to your email.
That come to your email.
Yeah.
Yeah.
This is such a good point.
Yeah.

(07:58):
You get so many important things coming to your email.
Yeah.
And to have to wade through it or just not even want to look at it means you're not going to see it as quickly.
Right.
And, you know, I mean, honestly, that includes emails from me, too, because, I mean, I'm going to try to establish and get a lot of people on signal and other communication methods because I realize how badly email is broken.

(08:22):
But especially along the way and early on in our relationship, email is just – it's the universal communication mechanism for a reason.
And I want to be able to send you, you know, critical alerts that are relevant to you.
Right.
And so, you know, I have a vested self-interest in helping you get your email working so I can send you emails, you know, about security stuff.

(08:46):
So, anyway, help you think clearly, help you, you know, see the important emails in a timely fashion.
Those are the two big motivations on why that's such a priority, even though it seems kind of weird.
It makes sense.
It makes a lot of sense.

(09:07):
Just the fact that you're right, those notifications that we do get that are important, we often forget how many correspondence we get that actually are needed.
You know, new user login.
I didn't log in.
What?
You know, like, all these emails, and that's the reason why reducing the stress so that when we can check it, we're knowing that these messages are somewhat valid.

(09:36):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, and, you know, my takeaway summary is, like, maybe from a strictly security perspective, reducing stress isn't the absolute top of importance, but I feel like it's a critical missing piece.
It's just, it's really overlooked, really undervalued, and so it's really important, but coupled with just how highly undervalued is it, that's kind of why I decided to address it first.

(10:10):
I think it's a great place to start, to be frank.
For me, especially for anybody, like, what's the first priority?
Let's reduce stress.
Yeah.
Right.
It kind of makes everything else easier.
Exactly.
Exactly.
You can get through everything else.
If we can reduce some of the stress, you can start working on the safeguards to get your email better.

(10:31):
Yeah.
So.
Awesome.
Okay.
You ready?
You want to add?
Okay.
Yeah.
No, that was a good summary.
Woo!
Oh, I was way late.
Oh, my bad.
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(10:54):
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