Niceties go a long way in the business world. They’re very effective in formal emails, as they show you care about the recipient and what they get up to.
“I hope life is treating you well” is a good example of this type of nicety. However, is it the best formal phrase to include?
This article will explore some synonyms showing you how to say “I hope life is treating you well.”
Is It Formal to Say “I Hope Life Is Treating You Well”?
It is formal to say “I hope life is treating you well.” It works well as an email opener to show that you care about someone’s life outside of the workplace.
We recommend using it in professional and friendly capacities. It’s very effective in nearly every social situation because it shows you’re taking an active interest in someone.
You should also review this example:
I hope life is treating you well. Please let me know whether you’ll be available to help out.
Pros
- It’s a polite way to open an email.
- It shows you care about the recipient and how things are going in their life.
Cons
- It sounds a bit generic and forced.
- It’s not the most friendly option.
“I hope life is treating you well” is great to include in formal emails. We still recommend exploring your options, though. That way, you’ll have great choices to help you mix things up.
Read on to learn a professional way to say “I hope life is treating you well.” You can also review our examples to see how each works in context.
What to Say Instead of “I Hope Life Is Treating You Well”
- I hope you’re doing well
- I hope everything is good
- How are you doing?
- How are things going for you?
- I trust you are doing well
- I hope you’re having a good day
- How have you been since we last spoke?
- How have you been getting on?
- I hope you’re making the most of your life
1. I Hope You’re Doing Well
The best way to open an email is to be as polite and respectful as possible. Therefore, you can’t go wrong with “I hope you’re doing well.”
It’s a great formal synonym because it shows you care about the recipient without going into too much detail.
Also, while you have opened the email politely, that doesn’t mean you have to keep up the niceties. As long as you’ve said “I hope you’re doing well,” you can immediately go back to talking about work.
Most people appreciate the initial message more than anything. It also means they don’t have to reply to your message and can instead complete the work you’ve asked of them.
Here’s a great sample email to show you how to use it:
Dear Hayley,
I hope you’re doing well. Please let me know when you have completed the project, as I need to move to the next stage.
Yours,
Steven King
2. I Hope Everything Is Good
For a more friendly alternative, you can use “I hope everything is good.”
It’s another way to say “I hope life is treating you well” that keeps things interesting in your professional emails.
Generally, you would use a phrase like this to check in on colleagues. You can still talk about business-related topics after, but this is a good one to include at the start of your email.
You can also review this email sample:
Dear Clark,
I hope everything is good with you. Have you thought more about my previous email and what your answer will be?
Best,
Sean Peters
3. How Are You Doing?
You can also ask questions at the start of an email. Questions encourage a positive response out of the recipient, which is what makes them so potent.
Try “how are you doing?” to keep things simple. It’s formal and polite, making it an excellent option if you’re trying to find out how someone’s doing.
Don’t worry; you can still discuss work after you ask them how they are. However, you should expect them to reply to your question first before discussing anything work-related.
Also, this example will clear some things up:
Dear Mario,
How are you doing? I’d like to meet with you on Friday to discuss how we will move forward with this project.
All the best,
Jon Powers
4. How Are Things Going for You?
Questions really are some of the most effective ways to guarantee a response from an email recipient. So, why not ask “how are things going for you?”
It’s a great question that shows genuine interest in someone’s life. It also allows you to be a bit more personal and show you’re interested in life outside of the workplace.
Check out the following example to see how to use it:
Dear Paige,
How are things going for you? Is there anything specific you’d like to discuss with me before we move on?
All the best,
Dean Freya
5. I Trust You Are Doing Well
To give you a more professional alternative, you can use “I trust you are doing well.”
Any time “trust” comes up instead of “hope,” it’s usually for a more formal and respectful reason.
We, therefore, recommend using “I trust you are doing well” to contact employers. It shows you’re very polite but need to talk to them about something related to work.
Perhaps this example will help you understand it better:
Dear Mr. Katten,
I trust you are doing well. Have you had a moment to review my application? I’d like to know where I stand.
Yours,
Ben Weiss
6. I Hope You’re Having a Good Day
It pays to be friendly when possible. Of course, it’s not always possible to sound friendly in business emails (i.e., if you’re firing someone or breaking bad news to a client).
However, as long as you don’t have any bad news to share, “I hope you’re having a good day” works well.
It’s a polite email opener. You can use it as a quick introduction before continuing to talk about something business-related.
This email example will also help you with it:
Dear Melissa,
I hope you’re having a good day. Please let me know if there’s anything I need to do before signing off today.
Best regards,
George Kirkland
7. How Have You Been Since We Last Spoke?
Going back to some question alternatives, you could ask “how have you been since we last spoke?” Now, this one is a little more specific, but it’s still effective.
To use this question correctly, you should ask someone you haven’t spoken to for a while. It shows you’ve been out of touch and would like an update on their life.
It’s a great way to keep up with former clients or colleagues. It shows you miss having them around or discussing things with them.
If you’re still unsure, check out this example:
Dear Miss Smith,
How have you been since we last spoke? It’s certainly been a while, but I was wondering if you enjoyed the product.
All the best,
Greta Thalia
8. How Have You Been Getting On?
“How have you been getting on?” is another professional question to include at the start of an email. It’s very useful when finding out more about someone’s personal life.
You should use it whenever you want to sound more friendly and caring.
For instance, it’s a good choice when asking coworkers what they’ve been up to. After you’ve asked the question, you’re free to discuss anything related to work.
Here’s a great email sample to show you how it works:
Dear Hughie,
How have you been getting on? I heard you’ve been promoted. I knew you could do it.
All the best,
Christina Sherry
9. I Hope You’re Making the Most of Your Life
We wanted to finish up with something a bit more fun and friendly. You can try “I hope you’re making the most of your life” to mix things up in your writing.
Now, you can’t use this with every recipient. It’s a bit too informal, so it won’t work well with your boss or clients you need to impress.
With that said, it’s great when asking old colleagues how they’re doing. Maybe you’d like to reconnect, or you have a task for them and want to hear about what they’ve been up to.
You should refer to this example if you still need help:
Dear Katherine,
I hope you’re making the most of your life. Also, have you had a chance to review my previous email?
Yours,
Bryan Friend