YOU’RE having a productive day. You’re cruising towards inbox zero. But all it takes is one of these ominously worded email subjects to reduce you to a sobbing mess. 

‘Baby shower: save the date!’ 

You’ve managed to keep your pregnant friend’s excitement at bay by giving their ultrasound photo a cursory like on Facebook, but this email locks you into more baby tedium. Practise saying “Don’t they look lovely?” so you can cruise through it with minimum effort. 

‘Business restructure (P45s attached)’ 

There’s no point even opening this email, the name says it all. Save yourself the misery of reading a bunch of corporate jargon about how you’ve not hit your KPIs by simply deleting it. Then open up your CV and LinkedIn and remember it’s full of more daft business jargon. 

‘Your EDF energy bill is now due’  

This usually arrives when your bank balance is looking healthier than usual and you’re planning a few pleasing purchases to take your mind off the current gloom. As if the eye-watering bill wasn’t painful enough, the smart meter they relentlessly pestered you into installing was meant to save you money, not end up costing you more. 

‘Your clingy acquaintance has sent you a friend request’ 

You’ve got two options. Ignore this email and the Facebook notification, then lie to the person you don’t really know about how you didn’t see either of them. Or you can let a weirdo into your life and watch as they like every single photo and status you posted. It’s a no-brainer: hit delete. 

‘Mum’ 

This email sent by your dad at 2am is deeply worrying due to the lack of information and odd time to send it. Then you realise it’s nearly her birthday and this is your dad’s desperate plea for present ideas that aren’t completely terrible, like oven gloves.