WORRIED you might be about to send the most expensive and life-endangering email ever sent? But it’s 4.58pm? Here’s how to do the most basic checks: 

Look at who you’ve CC’d in

When handling sensitive information like a list of names of those seeking sanctuary from the Taliban, it’s important to double check who you’re sending your email to. Your boss is fine, their boss is fine, but make sure you haven’t copied in the whole office or [email protected]. HR could be displeased.

Use a neutral subject line

Snappy, attention-grabbing subject lines will only draw attention to the contents of your email from the UK’s military antagonists. ‘Don’t miss out! Juicy state secrets’ or ‘Spreadsheet exclusive: all the names you’re looking for!’ are unwise. A blank subject line will help your email get lost in the Taliban’s inbox, or even better send it straight to spam.

Review the attachments

Few things are more embarrassing than forgetting to include an attachment in your email, although dutifully add a spreadsheet containing a comprehensive list of Afghan soldiers is definitely worse. If you find yourself in this situation, save the country billions by swapping it for a cute gif of a cat leaping off a countertop.

Proofread

With any professional communication, it’s good practice to give the contents a once-over before sending. Not only will it weed out rogue apostrophes and spelling mistakes, it’ll also highlight whether or not you’ve inadvertently divulged details that will need to be kept behind a super-injunction for three years. Edit down until you’re looking at an empty draft.

Use schedule send

So you’ve decided to go ahead with an email that betrays the personal details of thousands? That’s exactly what scheduled send was invented for. Rather than sending immediately, give yourself time to consider whether you really want to send the full list of coalition combatants to a hardline Islamic regime. It may be imprudent.