We live in an "always-on" culture...
A text message here, an email there...
Everyone can reach us any time of the day and we can do the same. But in the long run, allowing ourselves to always be available is going to affect our mental health and wellbeing.
We’ve all been there. It’s after dinner and you’re about to binge watch TV on the couch or spend some quality time with your family when you get a message from your boss: “I've sent you an email. Can you check it?”
Since it seems like a quick ask and you’d rather not have to deal with it first thing tomorrow, or keep your boss waiting, you open your laptop. Then you find out that the task isn’t quite as quick or as simple as you thought. So you get to work. Several hours later, the job is done but it’s taken up most of the time you have to unwind or bond with your family and you’re feeling burnt out.
This is the “always-on” work culture, in which you are always on the clock.
The merging of ‘home’ and ‘work’, and the ongoing march of technology, is creating an ‘always on’ environment. Whether working when sick or working longer than your specified hours, this causes the line between work and rest to blur. Additionally, it is detrimental to our long-term wellbeing.
Without the usual bookends of commutes or school runs to help structure the day, many employees find it hard to switch off. Plus, juggling work and home life in the same location has been stressful for many, with employees
However, there is evidence that always-on work cultures can also have negative physical and mental results. Constant communication can negatively affect our mental performance.
Here are some of the many ways being always on can negatively affect your mental health and well-being.
Because of the "always-on" culture (where everyone can reach us at any time), how can we set boundaries and re-set our relationship with time?
Here are a few tips to get started:
Resist an always-on culture and remember that sometimes you just need to stop working.
Additionally, because of the social restrictions of COVID-19, more people are turning to video chats to connect with friends and family. With everyone working from home and video calls being more and more prevalent, this also affects our mental health.
It’s no doubt that there are a lot of basic fears when it comes to video chats. But video calls are becoming more common these days than before. People are applying to jobs online and interviewing through video calls. More people are working remotely and are attending work meetings via video conference.
Check out our blog post for tips on overcoming your video call anxiety and boost your confidence.
