Too Much of a Good Thing?

I have been known to throw out an electronic device or two from my car or airplane.

No,

When I am done and say I am going home for the day, all electronic devices tied to my work are turned off or absolutely ignored. There has to be separation from work and home.

You have to remember that technology is the servant, 'Make it so'.

Sometimes I find with all of the instant access we feel pressured for an immediate response. When things are at a slower pace we have time to think before reacting. Thinking is good.

Well, about 1/3 of my income comes from pushing services (which we refer to as "solutions") such as this, so bear in mind that I may have a bias.

On the one hand, if such a service exists that make it easier to do your job by saving time or providing immediate access to information in a usable format, then it should be easier to shut the thing off at the end of the work day -- as foofire stated above. As such, I can see these things preventing longer hours in the office. You don't have to go back to where the info is stored, or start your laptop and connect to a network in order to check on something. On the other hand, it is so easy to get addicted to the damn things. It becomes too easy to just "quickly" check e-mail and answer one more question, to take care of one more "little" thing, etc.

Fact is, it is an individual decision. I admire, respect, and agree with all of the posts to date stating that there has to be a separation from work at some point. The tools need to be put away. I only hope we can properly use these new products and services in order to make that separation appropriately.

Myself, I have stopped carrying my laptop home (most of the time) and the PDA and cell phone go into a drawer until tomorrow.

Whats worse is that when someone begins down that dark path of 'quickly' checking an e-mail and responding, the bosses or co-workers begin to expect it. This will only get worse, until you have a confrontation or a nervous breakdown.

There needs to be that separation for simply your peace of mind.

I couldn't agree more. It is only a new manifestation of high expectations from the boss or co-workers. It used to be that you were expected to stay late or come in early to get everything done. Now, you are just expected to always be available.

That is, unless you set some boundaries yourself. And you are so right, foofire, those boundaries need to be set!

Exactly. Work to live, don't live to work.

The off switch is clearly marked...