All Work and No Play Makes–Hold On, I’m Getting an Email
A recent poll concluded that more and more people are staying connected to work, even when on vacation. This doesn’t include the weekends or weekday evenings, either. Work already invaded those so-called havens years ago. But as far as vacations are concerned, about 1 in 5 surveyed took a laptop on their last vacation for business purposes. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone working for a technically savvy employer—smartphones and similar devices have kept us connected even on our lunch breaks.
While my own personal cell phone has often been mistaken for a candy dispenser (The crank and coin slot may be confusing for more technically robust consumers) I’ve met no end of stylus wielding late-twenty somethings that can’t seem to unplug entirely, even when trying to relax. But this might not turn out to be such a bad thing.
While the fear of being fired always causes workers to bustle convincingly, a strong number of those polled found that at least some aspect of their job made them feel that they were making a difference, and that staying connected assured them that they wouldn’t miss out on important information. The need to stay involved in projects at work while on vacation indicates (to me at least) that there is still a strong interest for personal accomplishment in today’s workplace. But for some professions, this is nothing new.
Teachers (my family is chock full of them) have been bringing their work home with them for about 4 decades. When the bell rings, papers have to be read, tests graded, and homework checked. Electronics have simplified, but not eliminated these extra-curricular responsibilities. Now that I think about it, an English teacher friend of mine brought his end of term essays with him when we watched the Sopranos two weeks ago. Ah, grammar and acclaimed TV gangland drama. Isn’t it grand?
While 19 percent of those surveyed said that they had worked in some form or fashion while on vacation, the actual median of who was commuting while communing tended to lean towards those under 40 and those in managerial or supervisory positions. That makes sense; those who are responsible for other employees would naturally want to make sure there was an office to come home to. And younger folks who bring their Smartphone to the beach have got to show it off somehow. Otherwise it’s just the most expensive part of you that can’t get wet (or sandy).
There’s an obvious negative to all of this responsibility, however. The quality of downtime is as important as the quantity. If vacation days continue to shrink (if you don’t think vacation days are shorter than work days, then you don’t work.) then the successful intent of the vacation—to relax—is decreasing in effectiveness as well. What’s the point of going to the islands if the office can still reach you with the latest emergency? The idea of a vacation is to unplug so that you can perform better when you get back.
I think this has been lost on the American Workplace in general. Vacations aren’t a bonus, they are a necessity. If you don’t relieve the stress of your everyday life, you won’t be able to function as well as the next guy. And then you’ll have to spend even more time at work. Want a quick fix? Next time you go on vacation, bring your smartphone, laptop, or whatever else you need to stay connected. Just leave the chargers at home. You’ll be free to relax and enjoy that Pina Colada in no time.
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