Do You Need Downtime When You Are Off-duty?

Company where I worked ( 100+ employees) only had (2) landlines, one main office phone, one fax line.

I never liked it when they give you company keys,

They also give every one in the office and management a company phone, (the phone was the size of a small brick).

You were on call 24/7, I lived in a 'pocket' where the reception was not the best, they were p.o. when I would call them when a message would finally come through.

Needless to say after 9 months of this being available 24/7, my pocket of poor reception increased dramatically.

Easy. Leave company equipment in the office on charge overnight.

I don't have the problem, but my wife does. Smart phone, laptop and home phone are all tied up with her work.

She works for a major hospital organization and is high enough on the food chain that she feels compelled to work all the time, Sundays too. She had to take time out from a birthday party for her grandson to take a conference call. Vacation days, forget it they don't care.

It sucks, but in order to be competative with the young guns, she does it.

It's one of the reasons I was glad when they "forced" me to retire early! I now have only a TracFone that does the basics - phone and text - and I spend maybe $200 a year on it!

To illustrate a general principle...

If my lawyer (no I'm not in litigation) has gained a little energy from playing games with his children or has gained some special insight from his meditations on the morning star, I'd like them to be available when he argues my case. On the other hand, I do hope that the details of my case not interfere with his games with his children or his meditations on the morning star.

The boundary is one-way permeable. I import strength and insight from outside work for the benefit of my employer, but my employer has no claim to leach from my time outside of work.

Sometimes your career is your hobby....

If you enjoy your work then being contactable is good. Even better if the contact is billable time.

If you enjoy your work then being contactable is good.

THAT, can be self consuming. And you don't realize it until its too late.

Even better if the contact is billable time.

Better for who?

Better for who?

For the payee naturally.