I find that those who are chronic workers have very little going for them in their personal lives.
I challenge everyone who feels overworked to work 1 hour less this week, then an extra 1 hour next week. See how far you can go before anyone even notices or cares. It’s farther than you think.
For me turning of my work laptop is not enough to disconnect from work. Most of the thinks that I worry about while being at home are not about technical aspects but about non-technical aspects of the job: dealing with managers, colleagues, and project organisation.
The practical side is clear: close the laptop. But on the mental side I do wonder where the right balance is. I've recently started to forget about work at the weekends to the extent that - usually late on a Sunday - I suddenly remember I have to be at work the next day, which is an odd sensation. Probably just getting old(er).
And if the company will fail or you would be negatively judged for only working on business hours, there are always other jobs.
Writing down a shower thought that hits you out of your subconscious is one thing, but actively considering work topics off work time is working more for the same pay.
My interactions with colleagues are pleasant enough that I don’t need to worry about them at home. And things like “resource allocation” happens on work time
I get this too, all the time, but I don’t see it as a problem. This is what the mind likes to do: chew on problems. It’s not realistic be expect to be able to prevent your mind from trying to solve problems. All you can really do is to not pay it too much attention and it eventually dies out.
If a solution to a work problem pops into my mind, I just write down a few key words on my phone and continue with my day. Then I revisit the notes on my next work day.
* Late at night, quick check of my email or Slack and maybe even reply (either to get it out of the way or to show off how hard I'm working).
* While I'm in the shower, thinking about some interesting logical problem (can be something mundane like how to clearly express something in a report).
What is healthy and what isn't is subjective. But most would agree the first is not healthy, while some would say that the second is OK. Personally, I think it's fine (nice even) and certainly doesn't interfer with social or family life.
You (comment I'm replying to) have added a third which is quite different: "chronic workers" are those that are flat out working for extended hours. That's not really the same as not being able to switch off.
Yeah having kids fixed that for me
Clearly that's not the case for everybody. Don't assume that your reality - and what works for you - is universal truth.
Personally, if I shut my laptop there is no way to contact me for work related issues nor should there be.
That’s hideous. If you are going to carry it around everywhere anyway at least use your work phone for everything. That way you get at least some of the upside (work pays for it).
The problem is not that I can’t stop work. I can sit around for a week and nobody would notice. It happens.
But when I do work, I care. I want it to be nice, beautiful and make everyone’s lives easier. And I want that now. I cannot just flip those switches off when I go home (or am home, when doing wfh). It would probably be objectively better if I rested my mind a bit, but my work happens in big bursts.
Only way to find peace with this mindset is to go all-in on your own dream(s) not your boss' dream. May require a leap of faith...
Isn't that a truism? If you only work, there is not much time for anything else, I think.
It is obvious from a Birds Eye view, but those stuck in the toil rarely understand that they are losing their chance to build a meaningful life apart from work.
The products I’ve worked on in my career largely operate on US business hours, so this has never been a real issue for me.
If I were receiving calls about work more than once a year, I’d quit.
and you can't just quit. you quit, your visa immediately reworked, as tied to your employer. and again. deportation.