Never Forget an Email Follow Up: A Guide for Neurodivergent Adults
- Eric Kaufmann
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
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Hi Friend,
How many times have you sent an email, waited for a reply, planned to follow up, and then forgotten?
Too many times to count, right?
When I was teaching 8th grade, I emailed my principal about an upcoming field trip my 8th graders were excited for. The application was due in two weeks.
Then, I forgot I sent the email.
Between grading, lesson planning, parent meetings, and coaching basketball, the entire trip slipped my mind.
A few weeks later, my students asked about the trip. My stomach dropped. The deadline passed.
I felt terrible. I let them down.
A lapse in executive function hurt my students. My working memory failed me again.
Sometimes it takes hurting someone else to realize we need a better system.
Today, I’m going to teach you how I solved that problem, and how you can too. And I promise, it doesn’t require a new app, just a simple feature already built into your inbox.
Let’s dive in.
Common Email Management Mistakes
I made three big mistakes.
I trusted my memory (which should never be trusted).
First, I assumed I would remember to follow up because it was a big field trip. I told myself, “I’ll remember that!” and then the thought vanished.
I overestimated my working memory.
See, working memory lets us hold a small amount of information in mind for immediate use. It’s limited, which is why details like “follow up Thursday” disappear when life gets busy.
I overcorrected.
After failing my 8th graders, I began writing, “follow up with X” on my to-do list for every email that needed a response.
Effective?
Kind of…
I no longer forget about important emails I was waiting for a response to.
But my to-do list became INSANELY long. So long that it sent me into task paralysis.
Even though each follow-up only took 1 minute, looking at my list made me spiral into a state of overwhelm.
Thoughts like:
“I’ll never get everything done.”
“I don’t have enough time for all of this.”
“How am I supposed to even enjoy my day?”
My daily stress levels soared.
I added another system, but that was extra work.
So, I decided to use the reminders app. But that wasn’t helpful either.
It was difficult to think of the right time for the reminder to go off. Taking out my phone usually led to distraction. When the reminder went off, I would often ignore it.
I needed something easier. Something automated. Something that worked with my neurodivergent brain.
Improve Executive Function with the Snooze Button
Now, I have my system dialed. It’s a simple ADHD-friendly way to improve executive function skills and doesn’t require downloading a new app that I’ll probably forget to use.
What is this magical system? The snooze button.
Most email providers, like Gmail, Outlook, and Superhuman, let you “snooze” an email. This means the message reappears in your inbox at a time you choose.
This small change helped me:
Reduce cognitive load
Avoid overwhelming my to-do list
Actually follow up when I needed to
This email management approach improves executive function skills by offloading working memory, which is helpful for autistic and ADHD adults.
How to Use Gmail and Outlook Snooze for Your Email Follow Up
If you need an email follow up reminder, snoozing in Gmail or Outlook brings the message back on the exact day you plan to reply.
Gmail users:
Send an email
Find the email in your Sent Mail folder
Click on the clock icon next to the email (this is the Snooze feature)
Choose a day and time
Outlook users:
Send an email
Right-click on the message
Select Snooze
Pick a day and time
Now the email will reappear in your inbox on the day and time you’ve selected. This is your reminder to follow up (if they haven’t replied yet).
That’s it!
No more adding “follow up with X” to your to-do list.
No more forgetting.
No more email shame spirals.
I filmed a 41-second video explaining the steps as well:
Summary
If you’re autistic or have ADHD, you probably know how precious your mental energy is. And, trying to remember to follow up on important emails only overloads it.
After a few failed attempts, I devised a system that offloads the cognitive load of remembering to follow up using the snooze feature.
Here's how I use it to remember to follow up on important emails:
Send an email.
Snooze it for a specific time.
Check in when the email returns to my inbox.
This system has changed the way I manage email, and I think it’ll help you too.
I even filmed a quick video showing how to do it in Gmail. You can watch it here.
In service,
Eric
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About the Author
Eric Kaufmann is an Educational Therapist, Certified Executive Function Coach, and speaker. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an executive function coaching company that helps adults and workplace teams overcome disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks. Eric is also the founder of Elevate Learning Solutions, an Educational Therapy practice that supports neurodivergent students in becoming independent and confident. Book Eric to speak or lead a workshop.
