I was discussing the effect of email overload on work/life balance with a manager, when he pointed out that emailing late at night was acceptable in his eyes because if he receives an email from a subordinate at 10 PM the sender may well be watching a game on TV and “doing email”. I found this interesting because of the underlying assumption that if the poor chap was sending the email while watching the game then it was not a problem for his work/life balance, since he was, after all, watching the game – in other words, he had no right to complain, he was “having a life” after all!
This is a nice case of rationalizing the problem away by redefining expectations. In times past (and I’m not speaking of the middle ages; this was a few decades ago) one’s time at home was one’s own; if one did any work there it would have been perceived as a breach of the work/life barrier. You did work at the office, and you watched TV at home. Nowadays you work at the office without watching TV, and you work at home while watching TV. The manager I was talking to would probably consider it a poor balance only if one were to work at home with no TV at all…
And don’t get me started on the implied multitasking!
I’m okay with blurring the work/life boundary, but only if it’s a conscious decision. If someone chooses to handle email, debug a spreadsheet, write a proposal, etc. while in the comfort of his pajamas and tiger slippers rather than at the office, great.
However, if that behavior is an unthinking, automatic work mode (or worse: it’s the de facto expectation), that’s a recipe for burnout and mundane thinking.
Ah, Daniel, I suspect it’s in addition to time in the office, rather than instead… I doubt the guy goes home at 3PM in order to later fill back the lost time in his pajamas. Though if he does, I agree it’s a good flexibility benefit.
I don’t mind multi-tasking or lots of e-mail, but I do mind contorting/weakening my body with too much time at a computer and I do not have a handheld device.
Follow the body’s dictates and balance will result.
Nathan, you would have been dismayed to see my adult neighbors at a recent party checking their Facebook on their iPhones! This is not the fault of any employer.
Indeed, Eleanor. The phenomenon crosses the lines from work to life and back… and the two may be reinforcing each other.
And a very good reminder about the bodily impact…
Nathan…
Work/Life Balance has always been a challenge even before we had the digital information highway. My grandfather had to juggle a farm and two outside jobs while raising his 11 children. I had to juggle the phone (pre-voice mail) while trying to be a good husband, father of 7, and community member as well.
The digital tools we have available today really put us in control if we let them. If we plan and prioritize our lives, we can be the master of how we spend our time. What’s acceptable for one may not be acceptable for another. But, isn’t it great that we can choose how we use email and voice-mail.
Yes, I’m connected to my cell-phone and my net-book 24/7, but I choose when and how to respond to the requests sent my way. How can I ever complain about communication overload. I can only complain about my own personal use of time.
You are correct. It is just a perception and our individual perception becomes our reality.
I enjoy your viewpoints.
…Howard
I fully agree as long as it’s your own choice, Howard, and not your employer’s (I know, in your case they’re one and the same) – and as long as you’re able to make a choice. For some, 24×7 connectivity is an addiction, and then the claim that it’s a choice is questionable (“I can quit smoking any time I choose” comes to mind…)
frankly, i’d wonder about the quality of work being done whilst watching the game and having recreational drinks at the same time.