Keeping Mail offline while working?

Software
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I need to get some work done and don’t want to be disturbed by incoming emails (i.e. I don’t want Mail to check emails) but I want to be able to read, write and queue messages to be sent later today.

So, I took all accounts offline … but every time I interact with Mail (deleting emails, writing new emails, moving emails, etc), Mail “helpfully” takes the accounts online again. How can I keep all accounts offline and queue all actions until I decide it’s time to connect to the world again?

I should perhaps add that I set Mail to check emails “Manually” … but it definitely checks the email behind my back.

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You could install something Little Snitch that allows you deny internet access to any app you want.

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That only worked for me with a POP3 mail protocol. Since I switched to IMAP, mail arrives when it wants to.

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4

TripMode, available directly from the developer and through a Setapp subscription, was designed to save data while travelling (e.g., preventing Dropbox from getting access to the internet while using a Personal Hotspot connection to save bandwidth). However, you can also use TripMode to block internet access to apps to temporarily prevent new emails from arriving in your inbox. TripMode supports profiles, making transitioning in and out of different modes quick and convenient.

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5

Keep Mail online but turn off notifications for Mail. Then the only indication you get is the count on the Mail icon. I find that easy enough to ignore.

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In that case OP can also create a deep work Focus mode that will turn off all notifications for Mail, including badges.

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Convert them all to POP accounts, and decide on the one and only machine where you will check email. That is one huge reason why I avoid IMAP accounts except when it really does make sense, my emergency gmail account for example.

IMO there is no reason to have email on all devices. It also makes it a lot easier to say “This is the time I’ve set aside for processing email,.” You can concentrate on that and get it done rather than email stealing your time and energy in dribs and drabs and interrupting your good work.

I suppose focus modes etc. can be used to do that as well but that seems like overkill to me. It’s all up to you to decide when and where you give your attention to tasks or things that would keep you from doing what you want/need to do.

You can turn off those as well. The only apps I allow to put up the badges are the App Store and System settings.

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8

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try a couple of them the next time I’m in this situation.

Turning off notifications doesn’t help in my case since I was trying to handle all the emails in my inbox.

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I found the best way to avoid being distracted by email is to keep it closed. If I’m not expecting an email I will only check it every few hours. YMMV

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Well, in my case have emails on IMAP/Exchange is kind of necessary for several reasons: there is no POP support, I need the emails on different devices since I’m working on different devices (yesterday, I was working for home to be able to work uninterupted and I don’t use a laptop, at work I often use an iPad in meetings etc and sometimes need access to emails), also for backup reason, as well for the reason that if suddenly should become ill or die it’s necessary that others can handle my email.

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Agree … except when the task is to handle all the email that have piled up the last couple of months :yum:

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