Do you feel you now work 24x7? Is it because of your smartphone? Have you implemented any steps to reclaim your life? A recent article in the WSJ talks about this very issue and steps you can implement to relieve some of the pressure. Do you turn off your phone? http://online.wsj.com/articles/how-
Has your smartphone impacted your Work/Life Balance?
Answers
Yes. And, yes.
Because my employer pays for my cellphone, I'm expected to be available 24/7.
Because I've learned to limit my responses to only those that require my immediate attention, the other execs have learned to not count on me for anything when I'm out of the office except for emergency responses. And, visa versa.
What has happened over time is, we've all become better users of communication. That is, we use email for "get to it later", texts for "you probably ought to know" and, voice phone for "sorry but this just can't wait".
Our smartphones provide us with all three options and then some.
I can say I was terrible at first and still have my days. It's a struggle and one must be intentional about it. I remember one (many) night my husband and I sitting outside on our patio for an entire evening and rarely spoke. Both glued to our phones. I can recall many times my son having to repeat conversations because I wasn't listening to him. Sad, very sad. What I can tell you is at the end of this life, no-one is going to ask me how many emails or text messages I sent or how productive I was at 9pm; but my husband and my children's view of me now is what matters.
I end up taking calls at any time. I even have my phone ring or linked to my office phone. This is during vacation also. Unfortunately, it’s just part of life based on the role. I can't say I answer it all the time and I will not check email incessantly unless something important is going on. My phone is never off, but it is not within earshot when I sleep.
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