The Power of Scheduled Messages in Slack: When, Why, and How to Use Them

Slack is designed for real-time collaboration, but not every message needs to be sent immediately. Scheduled messages allow you to draft a message and set it to be sent at a later time. This ensures your communication is both timely and respectful. Some benefits of using scheduled messages include:

• Respecting Time Zones – If your team is distributed across different time zones, scheduling messages allows you to send communications at a time that works for everyone.
• Avoiding After-Hours Interruptions – Maintain a healthy work-life balance by scheduling messages to be sent during working hours instead of late at night or on weekends.
• Ensuring Timely Follow-Ups – If you want to follow up on something but don’t want to rely on remembering later, you can schedule the message in advance.
• Planning Announcements and Reminders – Use scheduled messages for important updates, meeting reminders, or deadline alerts so they don’t get buried in a busy Slack channel.
• Polite and Considerate Communication – Instead of sending a message when inspiration strikes at 10 PM, schedule it for the next workday to be mindful of your colleagues.

How to Use Scheduled Messages in Slack

Scheduling messages in Slack is easy. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Type Your Message – In any Slack channel or direct message, type your message as usual.
2. Access the Scheduling Option – Instead of pressing Enter to send, click on the small downward arrow next to the send button.
3. Choose a Time – Select one of the suggested times or click “Custom time” to pick a specific date and time.
4. Confirm and Schedule – Once you’ve set the desired time, click “Schedule Message.”
5. Manage Scheduled Messages – To see or modify scheduled messages, go to “Scheduled” in the left sidebar, where you can edit, reschedule, or delete them.

When Should You Use Scheduled Messages?

1. Cross-Time Zone Collaboration
If you’re working with colleagues in different time zones, sending messages at odd hours may disturb them. Schedule messages so they receive them at a reasonable time when they are online.

2. Work-Life Balance Considerations
If you’re working late but don’t want to disturb your team outside their working hours, schedule your message for the next morning.

3. Meeting and Deadline Reminders
Remind your team about upcoming meetings, project deadlines, or daily stand-ups without needing to be online at the moment.

4. Pre-Drafted Announcements
If you’re planning an announcement, you can draft it in advance and schedule it for when it’s most relevant.

5. Following Up on Requests
When waiting for a response or action, schedule a follow-up message to ensure it doesn’t get forgotten.

6. Batch Messaging Without Spamming
Instead of sending multiple messages back-to-back, schedule them strategically to keep conversations organized.

Best Practices for Using Scheduled Messages

• Don’t Overuse Scheduling – While useful, relying too much on scheduled messages can make conversations feel less natural.
• Double-Check Before Scheduling – Ensure the message is accurate and appropriate for the time it will be sent.
• Be Mindful of Time Zones – When scheduling messages, check Slack’s automatic time zone detection to confirm it aligns with your recipient’s working hours.
• Use for Non-Urgent Messages – If something is truly urgent, consider a direct message or a call instead.
• Cancel If It Becomes Irrelevant – If a scheduled message is no longer needed, cancel or edit it before it sends.

Final Thoughts

Scheduled messages in Slack are a game-changer for thoughtful and efficient communication. Whether you’re managing remote teams, maintaining work-life balance, or ensuring important messages don’t get lost, scheduling messages can help you communicate more effectively. Try it out and see how it improves your team’s collaboration!

‍