Gmail feature draws criticism

A feature recently introduced to Google Mail, which lets you take a 15-minute break from your Inbox, has been criticised.

The feature, which was added to the popular web-based email client, is intended to allow stressed workers a few minutes free of distractions to accomplish other tasks.

But the 'Take a Break' option has attracted criticism from those that believe it has a negative effect on productivity.

"It still amazes me that any tool which actively promotes email downtime can actually be seen as an enabler to productivity," said Juergen Obermann of GFT inboxx, an email archiving firm.

"Email is undoubtedly our greatest business asset today – and curtailing its use seems to be missing the fundamental reason as to why this communication tool was first created," he continued.

However, there is some debate as to whether email helps or hinders productivity in the office.

Last year, a study found a third of workers in the UK were stressed by dealing with email correspondence and recommended that people "shouldn't monitor email in the way you monitor a boiling kettle".

How does email affect your productivity? Is it an invaluable work tool or a hindrance? Have your say in the Web User forums.

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